Resident Evil 4 Meets Yu Yu Hakusho
by Oreana Galena
Summary: When Kurama and the other demons vanish, Yuske teams up temporarily with Leon to take on the crazy, infected villagers and creatures looking for what they both came to Europe for... [More Inside]
1. Default Chapter

**_Author's Notes_**: Okay, guys this is really, really important! I can only imagine some of the females who may read this and be amazed that this story is quite different from the others I have done. Yes, this story is quite unique in that it will possibly be about friendship and betrayal more so than sex, love, and lies like all my old stories. There is **_NO_** OC in here! Let me make this clear when I say, the story may not end the way you want it to so please don't hold your breath or get on my case about it.

Understand that I am a _Resident Evil_ gal at heart and I **_LOVED_** the new RE4 game! As I was thinking about it in my college classes, I started doodling twisted images of the YYH demons being infected with the Las Plagas and I stuck with it and thought up a whole storyline for it. (Those images can be found on my DA page. **Replace the slash com with a dot com please**: http/oreana.deviantart/com/)

If you do not know much about _Resident Evil 4_, there are plenty of sites to help you down that road if you want to understand the story better. If you would like some, I have more than enough and can hand them over for you if you would like. But I won't clutter up the spot here. If you would like me to clarify a lot about RE4 you don't understand, I am your gal. Don't be afraid to e-mail me for I have time for everyone. Just give me some time since this week I have my Grammar final.

**_Summary_**: All of Yuske's demonic friends have been captured and taken to Europe for some unknown reasons and is Hell bent on getting them back. While looking for them, he runs into some crazy villagers and a man on a different yet same mission as him named Leon who is searching for the Presidents daughter, Ashley Gram. Teaming up temporarily the two take on the crazy infected villagers and creatures looking for what they came for... (**Strong scenes of violence and gore**)

**_Musical Inspiration_**: "Kyomu No Chuu De No Yuugi Dais" – Malice Mizer.

* * *

The redheaded demon looked about the area he had been imprisoned. A secluded area with no sight to the outside world as the reinforced bars and the threat held over his head kept him from escaping. Plaguing thoughts of death and what this new life would be like floated about in the back of his mind as he sat there on the dirty, decrepit seat which was chained to the stone wall that surrounded him. The smell of blood infecting his sensitive nostrils forced Kurama to look off to the side for a moment or two before the flickering light up above caught his attention next. He knew he was the last demon in line for this torment, fearing what the others were being put through since he could just hear the screaming and yelling up above him. _I am sorry my friends…I am really sorry…_

"Chain him down!" A man in purple robes ordered behind the hood that shield his face from the world. He was referring to the redheaded wind master that was the first to be tested. Jin had gone rabid after the days he had he had been injected over and over again. His body was unable to handle the injections anymore causing him to become wild and disoriented.

A body in red robes sat in the corner of the dark room of the mansion like church slumped over with a white bandage that covered his eyes which had been torn apart from the complaining and interference he gave when witnessing his friend being injecting continuously. Hearing the growling and abnormal furious sounds emitting from his team mate, the Ice Master could only cry the blood that stained his cheek and leaked from the bandage. _Jin_, Touya thought with his head slumped over, consumed in darkness. _What have they done to you…?_

Five other infected occult members attacked the furious, rabid beast that Jin had become attempting to chain him down since the ones that died before them managed to get the shackles on his wrists, ankles, and neck. Six others on the side lines trying to tranquilize him but the body of a demon was rather hard for them to bring down. "Enough of this!" The man growled angrily taking down the beast himself with a quick attack of his body which the Las Plagas had created for him. Wrapping his tail like appendage about the neck of the Wind Master, he brought him down to the floor quickly letting him remain there till the tranquilizers were to take over his body. "I see the problem now," He said aloud to everyone watching the demon's left red eye and golden yellow eye him furiously as he withered upon the floor, anxious to get free. "Demonic bodies take awhile to become infected."

Jin was their first bad mistake thanks to the constant injects his body received every two days for the past 4 months since everyone wondered why he wasn't changing. Having that horrible Plague they wanted him to inherit infused into his body from what seemed like over 50 times drove him over the deep end. His power increased and his want to kill for pleasure had gone beyond abnormal. The demon was considered too dangerous to be kept alive in the leader's eyes as he watched the angered beast's saliva drip from the corners of his mouth and from his newly formed fangs. The Plague had damaged his brain and set it on 'kill' no matter which side it was since he sided with nobody but himself. "What should we do with him, my Lord?" One of the men asked, walking over to his master in his black robe.

Before he could answer the question given to him, the door to the room flew open and another member of the occult dashed inside. "Two of the demons are missing!" He panicked.

"What!" The man growled angrily turning to face the man who dared break this news to him.

The dark, mysterious Hiei dashed quickly down the slightly flooded corridors of the dank, dreary dungeon in hopes of at least saving not only himself from the dark fate that was to await him but also his partner in crime whom was still awaiting his time in his cell. _These people are psychotic!_ Hiei thought as the water sprayed out behind him while he continued his ungodly speed to where Kurama would be waiting.

However, feeling something lurking within the shadows of the dungeon area forced the half fire demon to stop dead in his tracks and pay attention to his surroundings. It seemed quiet enough but Hiei could feel someone watching him. Not to mention that a faint breathing sound was etching away at his ears making him alert. Remaining still and listening to all around him, he didn't see anything and began to wonder if his ears were playing tricks on him. "Pesh," he spat angrily at himself, "Bastards are playing with my head…" Before he dared to take off once more, Hiei remained still yet again seeing a shadow starting to overtake his own upon the murky water. Looking over his shoulder quickly, the demon's cries of surprise echoed throughout the castle once he witnessed the creature standing behind him.

* * *

It had been relatively quiet when it came to Yuske's life on earth. Sitting on a park bench he watched the wind toss about the leaves on the trees that shaded him from the sun. It had been 7 years since he had worked on any case or trained for anything and he was getting quite dissatisfied with how things were going though he had become much older and settled down a little bit. Having had enough of being outside, Yuske got to his feet and headed towards his apartment with his hands situated in his pockets. 

It was a fair walk from the park to where he currently lived so by the time he arrived, the sun had disappeared and the moon made itself known across Japan. Approaching the front door of the apartment complex, he pushed his way inside and traveled into the elevator, unaware that someone was watching him from the many faces in the crowd he retreated from. Keeping his hands hidden within his jean pockets, Yuske grumbled pulling out his left to catch a glance at the time before retreating the hand back into the pocket he pulled it from.

The doors opened as the elevator signaled to Yuske he had reached the 10th floor where his 'home' was located. Stepping out and heading down to the right hall of the floor, the Spirit Detective came upon room 303, prompting him to retrieve his keys to open the door still oblivious to the eyes in the background that were still set upon him. Stepping inside, he turned the lights on before shutting the door behind him and checking his mail which he found to be all junk mail. "Screw this," He hissed quietly to himself as he threw them down on the coffee table. Walking to the kitchen, Yuske set his keys down on the kitchen counter before grabbing the door of the refrigerator and swinging it open to stand there contemplating on what to drink. Keeping his right hand upon the handle, he leaned forward to grab a coke since that was the best thing he had at the moment.

Walking towards his answering machine located in the small living room, he hit the play button seeing that he had two messages. Letting them run, he walked to his bedroom doorway to lean within in it, throwing back his coke. Hearing his mom's chipper voice on the answering machine, Yuske couldn't help but roll his brown eyes trying to ignore it. Getting to his bed, Yuske felt a breeze emitting into his bedroom forcing him to look at his window noticing it had been opened. _The hell…?_ Getting a bit edgy at this since he always left that closed, Yuske put his coke down on his nightstand powering up his Spirit Gun within his right index finger as he walked towards the window to close it. Before doing so, he looked outside of the window opened before pulling it back to lock it to how it was supposed to be. "There," He whispered to himself, running his fingers through his wild black hair turning around with his eyes set upon the ground for the time being, "Wonder why that was—AH!" Jumping back at who was behind him, he growled once the other released their startled cry at his reaction. "Botan!" Yuske scolded angrily, "What are you doing here?"

"I am sorry!" Botan apologized, crossing her arms, "But I came here because Koenma requires your help."

"Nuh ah!" Yuske pointed his finger at her before shaking it, indicating he was not going to go through with whatever she was bringing up. "I have retired!"

"Yuske!" Botan whined following him to the living room again since he was trying to retreat from her. "Please, this is very important! I think you may be interested in this case. It is not something meager."

The arrogant Spirit Detective threw his head back and laughed with his hands on his hips before rummaging through the cluttered mess upon the coffee table to pull out the remote for the TV. "You say that every time and every time I fall for it." Flipping the TV on, he plopped down on the sofa placing his left arm behind his head. "I am not going to do whatever the hell it is you and junior have planned for me."

Getting in front of the TV to block his view, she knelt beside the sofa with a pleading expression. "Yuske, please listen to me…Kurama and the others are in trouble…"

"Kurama can handle himself as can the others," Yuske remarked quite coldly trying to look beyond the young spirit's head so he could see the TV screen.

"Yuske, he and the others have gone missing!" Botan finally blurted out, lowering the hand that had the remote within it. Obviously from her outburst, she had finally gotten the Spirit Detective's attention for his brown orbs of sarcasm were placed upon her now with a hint of wonder mixing within them. Huffing a bit quietly, she sucked in her lower lip before releasing it to show she was being serious for a change.

"What—happened," Yuske asked emphasizing each word he spoke.

The two moved to the kitchen to speak once Yuske turned off the TV. Botan sat upon the counter looking to the 25 year old detective from the underworld who was leaning against said counter with his hands overlapping one another for a place to rest his chin seeming to gaze off into space. "They just disappeared, Yuske. When was the last you heard from Kurama?"

Sighing, Yuske moistened his lips trying to remember, "It's been awhile since I finished my training in Makai. I've saw him months ago at the super market…he did seem a bit distressed now that I remember."

"Did he tell you anything?" Botan pried, embracing herself a bit since she was upset about the current situation.

_Yuske backtracked to when he last saw the redhead recalling the weary, depressed look upon his features that tore at his heart to witness from someone normally in a cheery disposition._

"_Something bothering you, Kurama?" Yuske remembered asking with a bit of that hidden concern of his._

_The scarlet hair of the demon swayed a bit from side to side in a sadden fashion setting off bad vibes for Yuske around that time. Concerning what came out of his mouth didn't help his nerves any. "I will be alright, Yuske. I promise. I will be heading out of state with a few of the others."_

"_You are coming back, right?" Yuske asked, cocking his black brow at the fox demon wondering why he would be leaving his mother above all people._

"_I don't know, Yuske. But don't you fret," Kurama comforted, placing his hand upon Yuske's shoulder to try and settle him, "I won't be going alone. I will bring Hiei and the others."_

"_It sounds like this is mission based…"_

"_It is," Kurama assured him before walking past him slowly, "But this is something I have to do…please forgive me if I don't ask you along for the ride." _

_Yuske remained quiet listening to Kurama, eyes fixed upon his shoes since he, at the time, couldn't bear to look him in the eyes. Feeling his partner's hand lift off of his shoulder so he could head on about his way prompted Yuske to turn around quickly, "Will you come back?" Kurama stopped to look his friend in his eyes that finally snapped from looking down at the ground. The expression upon his face forced Yuske to add, "I won't ask where you are going but at least assure me you will return to Japan."_

"_I cannot promise that…"_

Botan listened to everything Yuske had to say, brows creasing in worry at what she heard. "So you didn't ask him where he went?"

"No, I didn't," Yuske replied wishing he didn't have to think back on that day since it was an embedded worry in the back of his mind. "I didn't think it was that important if Koenma didn't pick up on it and send me to investigate."

"All Lord Koenma knows is that they have all gone missing since he has lost touch with them. He is trying to send messenger girls all over the world to locate where they might have gone," Botan pointed out, looking off to the side with her eyes closed in dismay, "He is worried since normally he is informed of everything that goes on here on Earth." Moving her cherry orbs back on the man beside her she sighed softly, "Yuske, you have to find them."

"How?" Yuske asked angrily, looking up at her finally. "Kurama didn't want me to find him and I couldn't very well sneak about trying to find out since he's a sly thing. Besides, didn't you say that Koenma is sending out his messengers to find abnormal activity on Earth?"

"But what if we cannot find an answer?" Botan asked, slipping down off of the counter before straightening out her pink kimono. "Go to Kurama's house and look around—please Yuske! Even your half brother, Jin, is missing…"

"He went with them?" Yuske asked sighing angrily at these turn of events. Silence rose about the apartment as Botan waited impatiently for a response. "Alright, alright," He sighed massaging his forehead. "Tomorrow night I will go to Kurama's house and see if I can find something that may hint to where he went."

"Thank you, Yuske," Botan replied with a relieved breath and a slight bow. Walking towards the balcony, the messenger girl got out her ore and hopped upon it. "I will hear from you soon and with only good news. Right now, I need to scout out Africa as I promised Lord Koenma I would. Please contact me by the communicator if you do find anything that may be helpful."

Yuske watched as Botan took off into the night before locking himself back into his own thoughts. _What enemy would be strong enough to contain demons such as them?_


	2. Chapter 2

Yuske drove down to Kurama's house the next night. It was an hour and half drive from where he lived, but he was willing to handle it since he was worrying about the fox demon from the last time he saw his former fighting buddy. Pulling up the driveway to the three story house, he parked his car behind Kurama's that had obviously not left its spot in the driveway. Closing the door to his own vehicle, he locked the doors before heading down the walkway to pass a glance into the tented windows of the silver Porsche to see what was there. Since nothing there seemed out of place, Yuske dug his hands back into his jeans pockets and headed for the door. Trying to turn the doorknob, he found it to be locked but didn't seem too disappointed about it. "Why am I not surprised?" He asked himself aloud. Looking under the mat for a key, he found none. _Why can't Kurama be like a normal person and keep a key under the damn doormat?_

Yuske was a bit disappointed in that matter but that wasn't going to stop him from trying to get in. The thunderclouds that the weather channel had predicted would arrive were starting to form in the night sky. Lightening dancing about the night sky, the Spirit Detective could feel the drops of rain starting to come forth and tap upon the street. Since he could care less about the weather, Yuske disregarded it looking for some way into the house. He knew Kurama didn't use any type of alarm system since he could fin for himself so that prompted Yuske to travel to the first window and bash it in with his fist. Watching the glass shatter before him, Yuske snuck into the house just as soon as the rain started to really come down and soak him to the bone.

The curtains that covered that window blew about the wind once Yuske got inside and shook his black hair about to get the water out of it that managed to seep in. Realizing it's been awhile since he last ventured into Kurama's home, Yuske groped the walls for the light switch so it would help him on his journey in the fairly large house. His fingers coming upon one, Yuske flipped it eagerly only to find the electricity was out. "Dammit," He swore aloud looking through the nightstand drawer that was there in the dark hallway. Finding the second best thing, Yuske pulled out the flashlight, turning it on and off real quick just to see if it had working batteries within it. Thanking God that there were, Yuske kept the flashlight angled right next to his right cheek, walking down the hallway to find if there was anything that seemed amiss.

Kurama lived in a large house that seemed awkward for only one person. It was almost like a mansion in the view of others but not much was to be expected for the well paying job the fox demon had acquired as a scientist. Yuske had helped him move in but that was 5 years ago. The two had grown apart over the times it was silent on earth so Yuske wondered what Kurama was up to. With the lights out and the only thing working for him be the flashlight he was holding, Yuske got a bit rattled at the strong winds that picked up, forcing the shadows of the trees outside to start dancing across the walls in the house. It was beginning to make him feel like he was in a haunted mansion.

Walking to the kitchen, Yuske searched around on the fridge door only to find it clean of anything that seemed out of the ordinary. Standing near the appliance, he continued to dart the flashlight slowly across the kitchen looking for anything out of the blue. Apparently there was nothing there but a tidy eating area. Finding the stairs soon enough, Yuske traveled up them slowly listening to the creaking underneath his footsteps before he got to the second floor. _One of these rooms has to be Kurama's…now which one is it…?_ There were at least 4 doors on the floor before turning that hallway into another hallway by darting to the left. Yuske stood near the stairs still debating on which to look into first. Since going one by one seemed reasonable enough, Yuske tried the first door on the right only to find it locked. "Who the hell would lock their own doors in their house?" Yuske asked aloud, shaking his head. "Only Kurama, I suppose."

Turning his flashlight to the next door on the left, Yuske turned the handle to find it open slowly. Relieved that one was unlocked, he pushed the door further open to take a better look inside. It looked like a miniature library. Getting a better look at the room, he could see piles of books stacked neatly side by side on the far back of the room while a desk rested a little bit to the left of the room with a chair sitting to the right. A lamp with a very beautiful cover design sat near the blue covered reading chair while another smaller version overlooked the desk area. _There has to be something there_. Yuske assumed walking over towards the desk looking about the area with his flashlight finding a few books along with scattered pieces of paper. From what he could make out of the dust covered papers, they were formulas of some kind possibly from his job or just for kicks. "Damn," He swore aloud continuing to flip through the papers, "There must be several formula types here. What was he doing before he disappeared?"

Getting to the last one, Yuske spotted an envelope pop out from the bottom stack. Catching it before it fluttered to the floor, his brown orbs of curiosity darted about the envelope only to find Kurama's address smacked upon it. "Wonder what this is," Yuske asked himself before opening it up and pulling out the folded up paper inside. Eyes zipping across the fine print, he began to read aloud to himself once he sat down at the chair that was situated behind the desk. "Dear Mr. Minamino, we believe it is in your best interest to come and see our latest project. We are aware that someone such as you may be interested in our research. Please do not be afraid to bring your friends like we discussed. Sincerely, Saddler." Looking at the front and then the back, he found nothing else, leaving him a bit confused. "Saddler? I cannot say I have ever heard Kurama say anything about him before."

Before he could dwell further on the letter, Yuske heard the communicator that Botan gave him begin to ring. Reaching into his pocket to fish it out, he flipped the top to look into the screen to see the messenger girl there. "Yuske, have you found anything? It's been over an hour now."

"Well, that all depends," Yuske replied crossing his feet upon the desk he was sitting behind, "Do you know who Saddler is?"

"Saddler?" Botan questioned aloud, thinking to herself for a moment before responding, "The name sounds pretty unique but I have to say no. Why?"

"All I found in here was a letter from this Saddler person and there is no return address on this letter but it seems rather professional."

"Saddler could be anyone, Yuske," Botan remarked, chuckling rather nervously. "I am afraid you are going to have to look some more. There are more than enough rooms in there to find what my tie in that letter. Please keep looking, Yuske."

The small screen on the communicator soon went black once Botan hung up, forcing Yuske to pocket the letter for the time being. "More rooms, eh? Maybe I will be able to find the key to unlock that one door. I wonder what he is hiding in there." Knowing he wasn't finished in that room just yet, he pulled the drawer open to take a look around in there. Continuing to dig about the papers and folders, Yuske eventually came upon something that could prove useful that had gold letters printed over a red velvety cover titled: Diary. "Well, well…what have we here?"

Flipping to the last few pages figuring that may give him something in the case, he found an interesting page along the way that was marked with a slip of paper. Pulling out the folded slip of paper, he began to read the messy, rushed writing. "They are coming for me. The only way to escape them is to make my own house a place filled with death and surprises." Stopping for a moment, Yuske listened to the thunder roll and the see the lightening light up the room making him a bit paranoid now yet a little skeptical. "He's scared…what creature could possibly scare Kurama?" Eyes darting about the dark room, he eventually focused back on the Diary in his hands. "If I have to keep building onto this house to escape from becoming one of them with my mother, then by God, I will do it. I will hide us somewhere within this mansion and leave the creations I have mastered together to do the work for me in hopes that we will be safe." A bit startled by what he had just read, Yuske closed the Diary thinking back on the last time he saw Kurama recalled how fatigued he looked. "He made this house into one big death trap? He must have been _very_ rattled and worried. No wonder he was such a workaholic for so long." Feeling the Diary was just as important as the letter, Yuske stashed that one away as well before daring to walk back out into the hallway. "If this place is dangerous, I better watch myself."

Seeing the other two doors, Yuske headed to the other door on the right a little further down from the locked door he encountered. Finding that one unlocked as well, Yuske traveled inside to find it to be a bedroom. Flashing the light about the area, he began to make the assumption that it was Kurama's bedroom due to the flowers and more papers scattered about. Going over to the shelf holding a few of the plants the demon had potted, he noticed that most of them were carnivorous types but paid them no heed as he headed to the bed to look about the mattress. Throwing the covers back that were not made, he found nothing as well as when he searched the pillow. _Guess there's nothing in here_, Yuske thought to himself as he stood upright after looking under the mattress for anything Kurama may have hidden there.

Once to his feet, he looked over at the wall to notice a picture frame tilting a good bit right above the plants making Yuske wonder why that happened since all the others were straight and aligned perfectly to a T. Leaving the flashlight trapped on his next target to investigate, Yuske began to step closer to the picture to take a gander at it but stopped once the carnivorous plants shot up in growth and began to threaten Yuske. "Shit!" Yuske swore aloud jumping back once one of the plants roots shot out to slash at him. Seeing that the plants had picked him up now and were wanting him either dead or out, the Spirit Detective had no choice but to aim his Spirit Gun at them trying to get rid of the obstacles in his way. Powering up his special attack in his index finger, he aimed his attack at the saliva dripping mouths of the hungry plants that had the outlook of Venus Fly Traps before releasing the power he had managed to accumulate to send all four of them screeching in agony before tearing apart upon the next lighting flash.

Once all four plants that stood on the shelf seemed to be in pieces on the floor, Yuske started towards the area yet again wanting to see what was behind that frame feeling that there had to be something if Kurama didn't take the time to fit it back into place. "Wonder what is behind picture frame number one." Reaching for the picture frame again, Yuske got another nasty surprise as the said 'deceased' plants grabbed onto Yuske's right leg tightly. "What the hell? I thought I killed you things!" Obviously the plants were not done yet and refused to surrender by using their scattered limbs to attack or tie down the detective one way or another.

Pulling back from the picture frame, Yuske powered back up so that his energy would shred the plants to pieces yet again. His blue aura lit up the room, forcing the vegetation to back down momentarily again, but only for a moment. Seeing that things weren't going his way and the plants were going to continue to attack regardless, Yuske quickly retreated from the room, slamming the door behind him. "Jesus!" Taking in a deep breath of frustration before letting it out, he snarled at the door before putting his hands on his hips. "Fine, you damn house salad! Be that way! I will come back later and take care of you!"

Trying to let that just slide off his shoulder, Yuske looked at the other door that was in the hallway to the right, working away at the doorknob to find it as well open. Looking about this room he noticed it looked like Kurama's own study hall. There were several desks put side by side as a wooden railing lined about the neat desks in a square. There were more papers upon the desks but each was stacked neatly though covered a bit in dust thanks to being neglected for almost a year. Looking at each stack of papers that was there, he noticed that the handwriting on all of them was different. "Obviously Kurama brought his friends over for a nerd sessions, I guess." Walking forward he saw some scribbled chalk writing on the blackboard that was centered up front for all those to see. Seeing something out of the corner of his eye made Yuske jump into a fighting stance since it took the form of a human with a weapon, but he relaxed and about hit himself in the head when he realized it was just armor. One stood to the left of the board with an axe before the medieval armor as the other stood with a malice to the right, looking at ease. "Yuske, you big idiot…Kurama has got you rattled. Just shake it off," He whispered to himself. Pointing the flashlight back up at the blackboard, he noticed that it was more of a warning than anything else. "To whoever wants the key must battle us three." Pausing for a moment, Yuske began to wonder what that meant. "Key? Key to what? And battle who? Jeez, Kurama didn't make this easy, did he? It's like a damn murder mystery I am stuck in!"

Keeping his back to the board he read the warning on, Yuske started to aim his flashlight about the room to find what Kurama meant by that warning he left. There appeared to be nothing special except for more intricate hanging artwork that decorated the walls a good bit and another door that was near the far right corner of the room with another suit of armor. Regardless, Yuske continued to look until something caught his eye. A red button was embedded on the back wall behind the neatly placed desks, almost being hidden by a lamp that stood upon a wooden stand. Hurrying over towards it, Yuske pushed it without thinking hoping that would lead him closer to solving that weirdo rhyme upon the board.

With the button pressed, the board with the warning began to rise to reveal a key situated perfectly within the wall. "A key to a door! Maybe it opens that door in the hallway!" Hurrying towards it, Yuske was stopped abruptly by the two medieval armors as they came to life suddenly to throw down their weapons in attempt to stop him from coming any closer to the silver key. Back flipping out of the way, Yuske growled with irritation before powering back up his index finger again to see if the Spirit Gun could take down armor. "Obviously you are my obstacle for getting that key. Sorry, Kurama, but your weapons are going down." Seeing the silver axe coming straight for his head, Yuske ducked getting just a small trim before having to fall upon his back seeing the malice was going to knock his face off if he didn't do something. "Damn, for soulless, ancient metal, you guys are pretty good! Let's see if your armor can handle this. Spirit Gun!"

Once again, the blue aura of Yuske filled up the room as the energy blast took out the two protective watchers of the key. Hearing the metal clang upon the floor in several pieces Yuske kept his ground wondering, if like the plants before them, if they would get back to their feet yet again. "Guess they're down," Yuske assumed once they refused to move after 5 minutes of silence. Stepping over the destroyed body armor, Yuske reached out and took the silver key that was now his own. "Gotcha," He grinned, turning back around only to find himself ducking out of the way from a silver blade that came at his head. Rolling over to the right side, Yuske saw the armor that was in far corner he forgot about had come to life as well. "Well, I never was good at math," He mumbled recalling that the board said 'three' and not 'two'. Figuring it would be best to just shoot the thing down like he did the others, Yuske powered back up quickly before releasing his Spirit Gun technique upon the third battle armor. The blast caused the papers to scatter about and the dust as well, forcing Yuske to shield himself from dust bunnies and paper cuts that may attack him. Knowing it was the least of his worries at the time, he still kept his sight locked on the target he shot at hoping it would go down just as easily as the others. The dust storm he had created was blocking his view and the light of his blast was just coming down making it impossible for Yuske to be sure he was through with that creation of Kurama's.

Without having to wait for either or to clear, the armor had come back into action, running quickly at Yuske with his sword readied to the right of its body, getting ready for another shot at the intruder. "What!" Yuske shouted aloud having to do quite the aerobics number just to avoid the sword attacks unleashed by the armor. Dodging to the left and right, depending on where the sword swung, Yuske tried to rack his brain for an idea of some kind to help him out of the situation he had found himself in. _There is got to be some thing that I can do to stop this thing!_ Finding himself cornered soon enough in the back, Yuske ran towards the armor after dropping both his flashlight and the key not able to think clearly at the moment due to his adrenalin rush. Jumping over the sword attack that came from his left, the desperate detective grabbed a hold of the head of the armor to remove it from the armored body hoping that would work. Luckily for him, the armor fell apart soon after once the head had been removed.

Walking over to the armor that was now upon the floor, Yuske hit it with the side of his foot just to make sure it wouldn't move again. "Don't want another object coming to life and trying to tear apart my ass. I better get out of here." Taking in a deep breath, Yuske shook off his sudden rush before passing a glance at the key he now acquired before picking it and the flashlight up off the floor. "This damn thing better be worth it. All this fuss over one key," He grumbled before rushing to the door to go back out into the hallway.

Seeing the first door on the right, Yuske hurried towards it to try the silver key in there. Much to his dismay, it didn't work. "Oh, shit!" He swore aloud, banging his forehead upon the door, closing his eyes for a moment or two. Sighing heavily, he reopened his brown orbs, passing a glace upon the key one more time before putting it away safely in the things he had pocketed in his coal black trench coat. "This house," He whispered to himself listening to the raging storm outside, "it is like a damn death trap indeed. But who would be able to get through all of Kurama's defenses that he set up and still be in one piece to snag him?" Not able to think of an answer at the moment, Yuske placed his back to the door before sliding down it to sit and think for the time being.


	3. Chapter 3

**_Author's Notes_**: Sorry for ignoring this story for awhile but I didn't really have any inspiration to continue it since reviews normally help me along and or my own interest and my interest got shot for awhile since I stopped playing RE4 due to wanting to spare my heart from going into heart attack mode. XP I kid—I may have a funky heart but it wouldn't kill me with a heart attack no matter how much I built the suspense up to. Anyways, I will see what I can do. I will try to complete this thing along with the other stories I have lined up to do.

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The sun refused to rise the next morning as America remained in a persistent rainy storm that seemed to rage on, showing its refusal to lighten up at all. The former police officer of Raccoon City sat back in his office chair within his home in thought of the mission he was to be given dealing with the President's missing daughter since it was he who was hired to protect the president and his family. Propping his elbow upon the armrest of the chair he was in, he rested his cheek against the back of his hand to examine the picture of Ashley Gram and the information he was given on the case. There was not much to go by—she was abducted that was all anybody knew. He had interrogated several people who watched over Ashley Gram when he wasn't able and they knew nothing that seemed out of place when it came of her coming home from college. It was almost as though she had vanished out of thin air or maybe there was a mole working for the president. There were a few possibilities and not one helped him get closer to an answer. His cheek length russet hair waved slightly as he looked over at the window to see a flash of lightened rip across the sky and illuminate his dark room a bit more that was only lit by a single candle standing close to an old picture of him as part of the Raccoon City Police Force. Thanks to the storm, the electricity had gone out and he feared that information would be slow today due to the lines being dead. His ears listened to the hypnotic tapping of the furious rain drops upon the glass window before bothering to scoot back and get to his feet to take a look outside.

The streets were dead from what he could see from his window in his single floor house. The people were obviously too frightened to dare drive in such horrible rainy weather. It reminded him of Raccoon City back in its zombie infested days before it was bombed to contain the virus. Even if Umbrella had gone under and the bombing of Raccoon City was probably for the best that the T-Virus were to torment them no more, there was a part of the man that feared it would resurface…part of Umbrella's past was still out there and he feared it's lurking in the dark. The horrors he had gone through were still there in his mind and while they made him jumpy at every sound and lingering shadow, it also made him stronger as a person emotionally and physically.

Eyes continuing to look out at the heavy rain, they eventually came upon an odd figure stumbling about almost, hiding under a hood. The way it moved caught the cop's curiosity and he could only wonder who would be stumbling about in horrible conditions such as these. A bit leery, his hand slowly moved over to the gun he kept stored away on his right hip. The floor boards creaking from his slow movements, he made his way into the corridor to look at his front door that soon was being bombarded by rushed knocks upon the outside. Coming closer to the front door, he brought out his gun before cracking the door just a bit to see who it was. The hand of the person quickly gripped onto the crack and they tried to force themself into the house regardless of the owner's wishes.

Seeing the hooded person pop in without any courtesy whatsoever made the former cop quickly aim his gun at the intruder. "Whoa," the male voice begged before flipping his hood back to reveal himself. "It's just me, Leon!" It was another worker for the president who watched Ashley at times when she came to and from college. He was continuing to snoop out information since he felt it was his fault that Ashley got snagged to begin with. He was working with Leon on the case in the background even though the president said otherwise and fired him. "Lord, no wonder you don't have many visitors with how you welcome them."

"Spare me, Mark, and tell me what is going on. Did you find anything important?" Leon asked once he put the gun away.

Running his fingers through his slightly dampened coal black hair, Mark removed his rain coat so the information he had written down wouldn't be smeared from the rain mating with the ink. Handing over the slip of paper, he nodded to him before reciting what was on it and what were in the photographs he was given. "I found out that somebody spotted her in the outskirts of a village somewhere in the heart of Europe. The source didn't say whether or not the girl seen was Ashley Gram since there were rumors about it and they fear the villagers who seem to be quite territorial lately."

Leon looked at the photos taken about the entrance to the village before reading the information jotted down to help him to the location. "Thank you, Mark. I will leave as soon as possible."

Mark stayed at the entrance of the front door watching as Leon hurried to his bedroom to gather his belongings before bothering to follow after him. "Leon, it's pouring down rain outside. Are you sure you wish to leave on a day like this?" He asked once in the doorway of his partner's bedroom.

"It is my job to protect her and if I wait any longer, it may be too late—it may already be too late," Leon remarked pessimistically looking through his arsenal that he kept stashed away in several places within his bedroom. Mark began to wonder about Leon once he witnessed all the guns he had with him. But only taking his measly handgun and a bit more ammunition he was thinking nothing of the situation that was to lie ahead of him. Pocketing the information he had, he hurried past Mark and out to the front door in his coat. "I will be back when I can, Mark. Tell the president of the finds and tell him I was the one that found them if he asks." With that said, Leon quickly headed out into the downpour to try and find his way to Europe.

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Yuske had witnessed enough within the mansion like house Kurama lived within and he soon found himself back at the locked door near the stairs that lead to the second floor. His back against the entrance, he lowered his head in between his legs trying to piece together all he had seen and gathered throughout the many corridors and rooms. His communicator ringing suddenly caused Yuske to slightly jump from the inside before he bothered pulling it from his pocket to open it up and see Botan there. "What Botan?" he asked rather blandly.

"Did you find anything that could help us, Yuske?" Botan asked, this being her fourth time to do so.

"No, Botan, this fucking house is like a maze of hell," Yuske answered in silent bitterness. Rolling his fingers through his cheek length black hair, every strand fell back into place before her hummed in thought at what he should do. "Hey, Botan, is there anyway this communicator could give me a map of this house?"

"A map?" She repeated in wonder since she's never thought of the upgraded version of the communicator doing anything of the sort but it could be possible. "I…suppose so. I think that was listed as one of the new features but I am not sure. Try the scanner that is normally used to scan an opponent and scan the current area."

Doing as she suggested, Yuske scanned the surrounding area with the green light to have a map pop up on the communication screen. "In the famous words of you Botan, 'Bingo'!"

"I am guessing it worked?" Botan asked taking the place of the current map over the communicator. Seeing Yuske nod made her do the same in return before watching the area before her go from vast ocean to an area covered in flora. "Yuske, I am almost at my next destination in Europe and I will call back to you when I am able. Contact me if you find anything."

Closing the communicator, she pocketed it into her pink kimono before continuing on her way. She diving in a bit closer to get a look at all that was around her since nobody could see her in her spirit form so she was in the clear. The trees raised high above her as she continued on a dirt road path upon her ore but soon stopped once she realized the trees were started to look past the autumn coat and seeming eternally dead then just temporarily. The crows crowing were starting to ring in her ears like a haunting song and the rustling of bushes startled her even if she was in her spirit form that only apparitions could see. "What a cheery place," Botan remarked with a frightened expression upon her features.

Deciding to go further on by foot, she made her ore disappear before quickly making her way down the path she was granted, stopping upon a rickety old bridge. The stench of blood was horribly fresh and it smelled as if it had been decaying for some time. Looking up at the beginning of the bridge, she saw a crow perched upon the stake that tied the bridge together on that side on the right, an unsettling feeling rushed over the messenger girl causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand up on end. Koenma had sent her to investigate this rural part of Europe and it was started to unsettle her even as an invisible spirit. About to step upon the bridge, she stopped when she heard a car coming towards her. Head quickly turning to look over her shoulder to see dust kicking up in the background and the sound of the vehicle advancing to where she was standing, she swallowing hard, Botan looked every which way before deciding to jump off to the side away from it to see what was going on.

A rusty old pickup truck made its way to the bridge and across it steadily, the windows rolled up and too muddy to be able to see who was in it. Stepping back out onto the road before her, Botan hurried across the swaying bridge once the truck stopped, she reminding herself that the people getting out would not be able to see her. Botan halted near the other end of the bridge to watch as pale toned men exited the truck to move to the back of it where a dirty tarp covered whatever cargo was in the back. The man that was the driver pointed to the one coming from the passenger seat speaking in their foreign tongue that made little since to Botan even if she was fluent in all languages being the Grim Reaper. Standing there like a part of the background, she watched closely as the tarp came off revealing at least ten or so dead bodies stashed in the back making her cover her mouth in horror at such a sight. _Oh—oh my God!_ Botan was so busy gasping at the sight before her, she didn't notice that the bridge was swinging rapidly and squeaking loudly almost in its own attempts to warn her something was looming after her.

Before she knew what hit her, someone grasped her from behind making Botan release a muffled scream out in morbid surprise since she was not expecting anybody to do so with her being a spirit. The men seemed to stop and stare right at her now, she wishing she could see what was going on but couldn't since the monster that smelt of dead flesh kept a hold of her mouth and refused to allow her to look. The dark claws drenched in human's blood poked at her cheek, threatening to puncture it if she continued to wiggle about. The rasping, warm breath of the creature whispering within her ear forced her to stop struggling and to stand there in horror at the realization of who it was, "Don't fight me anymore…we promise everything will be alright when you wake." Botan's eyes quaking in fear at what was going on, she soon went slack from a blow to the back of her head.

Yuske didn't get an answer on the communicator as he sat there in fear at the formula combinations that he saw in Kurama's study room—they were cure attempts at some plague Kurama had spoke of several times and in his diary towards the end and in some of his papers. He was hell bent on finding the cure to the experiment he was forced to participate in and it made Yuske's heart do flips in worry especially when Botan refused to answer the communicator or call him after twenty-four hours. Retrying to get in contact with her for the tenth time, Yuske eventually yelled angrily at the fuzzy screen, "**Botan, answer the God damn communicator**!" When he realized it was pointless, he sighed heavily, resting his head against the chair he was sitting in, closing his eyes with his teeth gritted in anger. "Fuck," he swore silently letting the formulas drift to the floor below him. Staying situated like that for awhile, he opened his eyes with a furious look burning within them, Yuske deciding to take it upon himself to go to his next destination that was written in the torn diary piece he found….

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It took a good bit of his money from the job he acquired once he assumed he was former Spirit Detective to get over to Europe but Yuske managed with a continuous worry swelling within his body since it had been a day last Botan spoke with him and Koenma admitted he lost contact with her as well. He brought with him nothing since he had more than enough spirit energy to spare his life in case he ran into problems and his demonic powers he had obtained once they awoken. The only thing he bothered with was a heavy fleece since it was winter and the last thing he wanted was to freeze on this mission. Standing in his black boots that were covered up by boot cut cargo pants and a white undershirt, Yuske tilted the cap he wore upright so he could see the trees starting to slowly gather together to create the woods up ahead that the guide was taking him to on foot.

"In those woods is where you will find the village," the man admitted with a bit of worry in his labored breathes from the walk up to the mouth of the forest. "I would go with you but—well—you know. Some of our men went up there with another and have yet to come back." There seemed to be some sort of eerie chuckle that arose from his throat, his eyes looking over at Yuske. "I wish you luck since Lord knows you need it."

"Thanks," Yuske remarked with a hint of sarcasm before heading up into the woods to see if he could find his friends and the missing Botan.

The fog seemed to part for his presents as Yuske made his way calmly through the eerie setting about him that was filled with watchful eyes of all things known to live in such a surrounding. The crows' constant warning sound irritated Yuske to a degree though he continued his stroll down the dirt road knowing it would lead him to the village. "Stupid birds," he swore before stopping for a moment to see a couple of foot prints embedded into the dirt beneath him, it the size of a female's shoe. Kneeling before them, he studied the apparition feel about them realizing it belonged to Botan.

Continuing to study them and see that they lead off to the bridge, Yuske stopped for a moment when another apparition trail was close to hers. The trail was vaguely familiar yet a bit off from the demon he wanted to label it as making Yuske confused as he headed to the bridge to cross over and to the other side. "What the fuck is this?" Yuske asked seeing skid marks from a vehicle upon the dirt road on the other side of the bridge along with a bit of the automobile there trying to hide within the dead flora not too off to the side. Walking closely to the edge of the cliff where the tracks seemed to stop, Yuske's reddish brown eyes looked down at the disaster that was there in the murky water—an empty car that had obviously been run off the cliff and into the depths below. "Damn…I can see these villagers are indeed quite crazy." Yuske's attention was quickly converted behind him when a nearby gunshot went off several times, the sound of shouting echoing about the trees as well. "I see that somebody is here before me…" Yuske whispered to himself, hurrying in the direction of the gunshot to get his answers.

Continuing just a ways up the road, the former detective's eyes rested upon a quant cabin like house, the door not in place almost seeming inviting. Keeping his eyes fixed upon the house, he stopped when his foot hit something that wasn't solid like a rock but a bit sturdy nonetheless. Looking down at what was before him, Yuske distorted his face in disgust to see a body there without a head, the blood creeping from the decapitated body and marking the clay road beneath him. "Who would do something like that to the villagers!" Yuske heard rumors on his way to where he currently stood that the villagers had become a bit unstable lately but they never ventured out of their boarders which were beyond the bridge he passed back a ways. Decapitation seemed a bit cruel and he saw it on the other three villager bodies that were scattered about the land before him. Hearing the shooting once more further down the road, Yuske only passed a glance at the house to the left of him before bothering to hurry down further after whomever it was that was shooting the villagers down one by one.

Yuske continued down the path laid out for him, spying bear traps that had already been sprung lying out in his way. It was as though the villagers were intent on trying to keep any further intruders out and were expecting him. The people were obviously quite intelligent and savage, making Yuske's stomach churn at the continuous gun shooting and bodies he found littering his way, he only able to wonder who was doing this hoping whoever it was would be on his side. Heading across the bridge he came upon, Yuske stopped to look up at the towering gates before him. "What is this now?" Creasing his brow in confusion upon the sight, he could only guess this would lead him closer to the swinging gunman and where Botan was taken since her trail disappeared behind them. Taking in a deep breath, he pushed his way beyond them letting them creak from movement.

Getting on the other side, the foreign rambling of the villagers were heard not too far off causing Yuske's feet to hurry in that direction since they seemed to be angered about something. Stopping at the sight of the villagers surrounding one of the many houses in the center of the village Yuske ducked behind one of the nearby trees to listen in and see what was going on for a moment or two. The leader, it seemed was directing people about the surrounded house as some of them tried to break through the windows and climb up the ladder they had propped up to get into the top floor. _What happened? Who are they so pissed at?_

Eyes widen suddenly once they caught sight of what was tied to the steak in the center of the village fire, Yuske was unable to believe that a European cop had been burned alive almost making it seem like a warning to those who would oppose them. Unable to turn from the sight before him, his meager worry began to transform at the merciless attitude that these villagers now were showing. Sweat dripped from the side of his face, curling down to his chin before leaving his pale complexion at what was before him. He not snapping out of the trance he was in until a church bell began to ring, stopping the crazed villagers from their attempts to reenter the house they were hell-bent on getting into. All seeming zombie like, the people began to walk away and into a small building to disappear acting as though nothing was bothering them in the slightest.

Yuske waited for awhile, wondering if there were anymore villagers about due to not wanting to make a scene while somebody was doing that for him. For about ten minutes or so nobody showed up and it prompted his feet to start walking into the center of the massacre that had occurred without him there to witness all of it. Yuske wanted to get a closer look at the burned policeman before going anywhere else in the village that now reeked of blood and singed flesh. "Who the hell are these people…?"

The floorboards in the house that the villagers had swarmed about started to groan, Yuske shifting his attention in that direction wondering what was inside. Powering up his index finger, he crept steadily towards the house to find the door was blocked by something when he pushed his weight against it. Biting his lower lip, he broke down the door with his fist before aiming his Spirit Gun quickly at where he felt the enemy would be standing only to find nothing but a corpse of a man lying there upon the floor. Putting away his only weapon, Yuske came closer to examine the multiply shot man. Kneeling down upon the dusty floorboards, his eyes shifted over the body to see that the complexion was very pale for a farmer and it was easy to see his veins which were an odd black and dark red color. _Gross…_ Yuske could only think to say to himself at the sight. _What is wrong with these people? It was them that took away Botan and my friends?_

Before he could contemplate anymore, Yuske's eyes shifted quickly to the far right since he could hear someone coming up behind him. Getting up to turn around quickly, his Spirit Gun powered up, Yuske aimed it directly at the man's head threatening to blow his head off as did the stranger who was wielding a handgun. "Don't move!" The American cop ordered keeping the gun close to the side of Yuske's head. "If you move, I will blow your head off!" He threatened since it appeared Yuske wasn't normal like those villagers.

Cocking his brow at the stranger, he grinned at him with a morbid smirk, "Took the words right out of my mouth, stranger."

"The name's Leon S. Kennedy," Leon remarked sourly at the detective not faltering in his position. "And who are you…what are you?"


	4. Chapter 4

Leon reloaded his gun since his attempt to blow Yuske's head off was a bluff while sitting on the table that smelt of rotten food and was consumed in dust. "So, Yuske Urameshi," Leon began checking out all sides of his handgun before bothering to shift his attention over to the Spirit Detective, "what brings someone like you here?"

"Well, Leon S. Kennedy," Yuske mocked leaning against the decrepit farm house with his arms crossed, "my friend, Botan came here and she has gone missing so I am searching for her—and my friends."

The American cop kept his eyes fixed on Yuske still a bit curious about him and where he came from and not to mention what friends he was searching for. Pointing his gun at Yuske for a moment in place of his finger, Leon asked, "That technique you had going on, what was that?"

"It's called my Spirit Gun," Yuske answered looking out the window a moment before bothering to eye the policeman once more. "I may not be human in a way but I promise I am at least on the good guy's side so save your ammo for those you can afford to take down."

"Good to know at the time since I was out of ammo when I was threatening you," Leon remarked before putting his handgun away for a moment. "Yuske Urameshi—that doesn't sound American or German to me. Where are you from?"

"Japan," Yuske retorted shortly before pushing himself off of the wall so his body language could be directed at the newcomer in his life. "And you—Leon S. Kennedy?"

"United States," Leon answered in return before getting up with Yuske. "And please, just call me Leon. What about your friends? Are they like you?"

"Look—Leon," Yuske grumbled, embracing himself a bit more since it was awfully cold, "as much as I would love to play twenty questions with you, I have a friend to find. Well, excuse me, friends now."

Leon watched as Yuske stepped out into the open to where the burning corpse of the German policeman was before following after him when he realized it would be best to pursue the brash man for the moment while listening to Yuske as he ranted out loud.

"I am a thousand miles away from home after blowing pretty much my rent money on a way to get over here since Jr. is too cheap to help me out himself even though it was _HE_ who wanted me to do this to begin with. And well, I was retired, Leon, I was _retired_," Yuske growled turning to face the cop that he knew was behind him, jabbing him in his chest a moment before turning back to the farm that was about him, waving his hands about. "And so I go to my friend's house only to find that it's literally Hell's Address and a maze all in one before realizing that he went insane due to some guy named Saddler who wants to turn all my demonic friends into _PSYCHOTIC_ demonic friends—do you catch me?" Stopping for a moment, he looked at the policeman behind him, a bit stressed from all he was recapping.

Leon cocked a brow at the rambling Yuske was firing off before bothering to attempt to speak, "Well—I—."

"Exactly," the detective just blurted out stopping Leon from continuing. "And now—now this!" Yuske was waving his hand up at the burned corpse of the policeman hanging there on a stake. "I don't do crazy villagers. I don't slaughter crazy people."

"Are you done?" Leon felt urged to ask trying not to bequeath a smile at this stranger but it was hard with all he was saying and doing even if things looked grim.

"Why?" Yuske asked with a deep breath since he needed one from all his ranting.

Taking it as a yes, Leon placed his hands on his hips a moment before throwing his hair back to look directly at Yuske. "I've dealt with this sort of thing before. There was a zombie infestation back in Raccoon City where I used to live and it was caused by the T-Virus created by the Umbrella Corporation."

"Ah," Yuske began sarcastically. "Story time."

Regardless of Yuske's reaction to his story, Leon continued, "It took dead bodies and reanimated them and these creatures were so hard to kill unless you shot them in the head or kept them from walking. They fed off the blood of over things but mostly humans and once that human was eaten, the body reanimated and then—another would be added to the growing zombie population decreasing the sanity level and places to hide in Raccoon City."

Yuske could hint that Leon's tone was getting rather serious and it made the quirky man listen finally with an equally serious stare.

It was hard to think back on it but the more Leon did, the more determined it made him. He could still smell the blood that littered the streets and hear the screams of the few survivors attempting to escape the infected that chased them when it was his first day on the job as a Raccoon City police officer. Closing his eyes a moment to remember it all, Leon reopened them to what was around him now and what he would have to face in order to save the President's daughter. "Raccoon City was bombed to keep the virus under control. They say Umbrella is finished and so is the T-Virus, but I don't believe them. Call it paranoia or call it instinct…for I just know."

"So what's going on here?" Yuske asked looking at the bodies of those Leon managed to kill before the detective arrived on the scene.

"I don't really know," Leon answered looking at the closest body to him that he took down pointblank. "All I know is they are not zombies but in a way I feel my past is coming back to haunt me. These villagers—they are smarter, stronger, and faster then the zombies I had encountered when I still was about the T-Virus. They are monsters and not human." Cocking his handgun as he retrieved it once more, the officer looked back at the detective. "And I will take them all down to get Ashley back if that is what it takes."

Yuske merely listened to what he had to say, not knowing where this was going in the least.

Reaching out his hand as a friendly invite, Leon asked, "Are you with me?"

Yuske just stared at the extended hand blankly before looking back at Leon wishing for an explanation in all of this.

"Your friend and my charge have to be together if they are both here," Leon elaborated waiting for Yuske to take his hand. "If we work together, we can get them both back."

"A team?" Yuske asked before chuckling and shaking his head. "No thanks, Leon. I have seen how you handle things and I like to handle it my own way."

"You cannot do this alone no matter how strong you may think you are," Leon practically ordered not wanting Yuske to go about it alone. "Our goals are practically the same. It only makes since to join one another till they are completed."

Both were silent for awhile, allowing the cracking of the fire behind them do most of the talking as Yuske thought it over. He was used to teams, sure, but now was he willing to chance it with somebody he hardly even knew? Realizing that if anything were to go awry, he could fix it, Yuske finally sighed in defeat in the situation, "Agreed." Saying this, he took Leon's hand in an agreement, shaking it once before releasing it to slip into his coat pocket with the other.

"Alright then, let's go." Leon led the way with Yuske following right behind him as they traveled up the dirt road. "I took care of the villagers here. They just upped and left, heading over there and none of them have resurfaced yet," Leon explained pointing towards a building that looked like a lookout tower. "Most of the doors are locked except this one up here. But be careful Yuske—these people are crazy and know how to attack in packs. How many times can you use that attack?"

"Several times," Yuske answered showing off his index finger a moment. "I could have wiped out this whole village but I thought I would let you have your fun first before barging in."

"How thoughtful of you," Leon chuckled quietly to himself before pressing his hand to the door, looking at Yuske. "Are you ready?"

Watching Leon's officer moves, Yuske said nothing as he stood there with his arms crossed. "Ready whenever you want to open that door."

Leon pushed the door open quickly to aim his gun at whatever could be there finding nothing at the moment in the farm area only a busy farmer just a ways up ahead.

Yuske saw him as well and jumped to the side quietly so as not to be seen. "Alright, Leon," Yuske whispered to his current partner, "I know you're all for shooting now and asking questions later at least from what I saw following in behind you, we have to at least take one out before taking any others."

Kennedy couldn't help but cock his brow sarcastically at Yuske hearing what he had to say. "What you saw was me trying to save myself when I took one villager down and the whole flock came in after me!" He scolded in a soft whisper so they couldn't be heard. "As a bodyguard of the president, of course I know better than to barge in with my gun blazing. These villagers are highly alert and if we take one down, more will surround us!"

"Yeah, whatever, let's get this over with," Yuske moaned ready to take these people on already.

Leon nodded towards the dumpster that he saw while aiming his gun at the unsuspecting villager that was working casually in the yard. Walking silently towards him, he stopped and looked at the area that was beyond the house Leon was sneaking about to see and hear a few more workers nearby. Eyeing Yuske over near the dumpster still, he asked with his expression if he was ready before showing three fingers to indicate there were three more villagers nearby. "You take that one," Leon mouthed clearly pointing to the villager in clear view. "I will take this one." He was referring to the hidden one within the shack he could just hear. "Go—now!"

Yuske jumped upon the top of the dumpster powering up his Spirit Gun as Leon swing around the opening of the shack he was beside to aim his gun and fire rapidly at the shouting villager who was attempting to alert the others around him. Leon managing to handle his own, looking behind him quickly to see the technique Yuske was threatening to use on him earlier and saw how it oddly killed the villager in one blow once it met with his chest.

Keeping his handgun out, Leon walked over near Yuske and the downed villager wondering what he did since he didn't decapitate him. "Is that attack really that strong or am I missing something here?" Leon asked, kicking the body of the dead man to make sure he wasn't just unconscious.

"Well, I didn't use a lot on him," Yuske remarked just as stunned. "I was hoping to just knock him out for awhile since I am not above killing people but I guess it—really killed him."

Leon looked back up at the stranger he was fighting along side of while Yuske kept his gaze fixed on the man lying there obvious dead. _Who exactly is this guy…?_

Before he could bother to ask, Yuske attention shot up at the oncoming villagers who were guarding the rest of the farm area prompting Leon to look over his shoulder. "Great," Yuske grinned since the demonic side he gained enjoyed fighting, "more coming."

"I figured as much," Leon remarked turning around with his gun at ready. "Understand, Yuske that these things are not people and you have to destroy them! Don't hold back."

"Please," Yuske laughed stepping in front of Leon. "Save your ammo and let me do this. Obviously they have something against my Spirit Gun no matter what level it is at." Powering back up his Spirit Gun, Yuske aimed it at the villagers that were heading at him before releasing a big enough blast to take the four coming at him, out.

The blast that Yuske released was so powerful to one such as Leon that he couldn't help but get shoved back from the strong wind that was repealing him even from behind the detective. Collapsing on one knee, Leon tried to regain his composure after witnessing such an attack he thought would be impossible by anyone that was at least on the good guy's side. Looking at Yuske from the back once the blinding light he emitted faded, Leon kept his eyes on the detective as he slowly got back to his feet. "That blast—it can be as big as you want?"

Hearing the question aimed at him, Yuske looked over his shoulder with his brows raised before answering. "It can get pretty big depending on how much energy I gather." Looking back to the villagers he took out, Yuske headed towards their bodies to look more closely at them with the officer right behind him watching his back. "Look at them. What happened to their bodies? They are too pale to be farmers who work out in the blazing sun all day and their veins are visible in black and red…"

Leon came in for a closer look once he realized it was safe for the time being. Eyes wondering over the bodies before him that were tainting the ground with their blood he could only shake his head at what was given to him. "I am not sure what is going on with them. They are not zombies…but I know something isn't right…"

Yuske and Leon both got to their feet after taking a closer look at their enemy. "Not zombies, not human—I cannot believe these people could even take someone such as Botan given who and what she is," Yuske sighed, scratching his forehead with his thumbnail.

Hearing Yuske state that last comment, Leon looked back at his temporary partner only able to wonder what his whole story was. But at the moment, it wasn't the time to ask even if they were in a clearing free of the monsters. "I guess I'll save questions for later but for right now, let's go onward. I'll go on ahead and you cover me since that attack of yours seems to be the key to getting us in, out, and home."

"Sounds good to me," Yuske agreed letting Leon take the lead further down the farm to spy another set of large doors that he would have to check. Watching Leon disappear beyond the farmhouse that was further up and linked by an upper wooden passage, Yuske followed after him before stopping at the farmhouse and under the wooden passage that hung creaking above his head just to make sure everything would be alright.

Making it to the doors and checking to see if they were unlocked, Leon waved Yuske over once he saw it was clear. "Come on—it's safe."

Yuske hurried over to Leon's side, throwing open the left door while Leon took the right. Seeing that they were fine more or less on the other side with no villagers there to greet them, Leon put away his gun and Yuske lowered his finger when all they saw was high cliffs and a rocky path for them to follow. The two looking at one another could only do this before they headed down the road consisted of cobblestones beneath them to wherever it would take them.

It was relatively quiet and this caused Yuske to frown as the crows continued to caw at them. "I don't like this…"

"I guess it would be asking too much to try and be optimistic?" Leon inquired with a serious chuckle.

Yuske was about to reply to that but before he could a loud crashing sound emitted behind them causing both men to turn around to find a boulder rolling steadily at first after them. "Well that suggestion was shot to hell—run!" Yuske ordered pushing Leon further down the road but it didn't take them long to notice that their road would run out soon enough as would the gap between them and the boulder. Finding this out faster than Leon, Yuske pushed Leon off to the left side out of the way before he turned around with his fist reared back to land it right into the boulder to cause it to shatter into a million pieces right before Leon's eyes once they were set back upon Yuske.

The American cop said nothing to the boy as he steadily got back to his feet gawking at what he witnessed after being shoved on his side. Getting his gun back out since he was aware the villagers were still about, he looked to his left and right to make sure none of them were about the duo at the moment before placing a hand on his hip still eyeing Yuske with a astonished expression.

"Dammit," Yuske swore shaking his fist that he used to smash the boulder. "I guess retirement really does it in for ya, hu?"

Leon could only shake his head at Yuske, grinning for the first time he got at the village unable to believe what he had found if anything. "Shooting strong blasts of light from your finger tips, smashing boulders bigger than a building—is there anything you can't do besides be serious?"

Yuske couldn't help but find the humor in it all as well being that Leon wasn't used to this in the least. "Well, school used to be one of them, but I guess it hadn't been for that, I wouldn't be speaking with you now. Thank God for English Class. At least I know now that it would come in handy."

As the two exchanged quiet, friendly laughter, a dark shadow in the background watched from high above the cliffs overlooking the two before darting quickly further on down the road to inform its leader of what had just occurred. Leon was oblivious to what was going on at the time but Yuske's laughter turned to seriousness in a heartbeat as he felt the power that attacked him at that very moment when the creature was there watching them. Noting Yuske's russet eyes of fear darting about the quiet area, Leon stopped laughing and turned equally serious wondering what caused the detective to get so eerily stern. "Yuske, what is it? What is wrong?"

"It can't be," Yuske whispered allowing the wind to catch his words as his widened eyes stayed fix on the area above them where he spied the power.

"Yuske, what is it?" Leon reiterated louder wondering what it was that startled his partner.

Realizing that Leon was still there beside him, Yuske shook his head to try and get all doubt and fear out of his mind before faking a smile at the American officer. "It's nothing, don't worry about it. Come on, we have two girls to save and then haul ass home so I can work on finding my friends..."

Watching Yuske head onward without him, Leon didn't notice Yuske put back on the same worried expression as Leon stayed behind him this round to trade places with the Spirit Detective but he could still tell that something was bugging Yuske. _What got into him?_ Leon wondered as he kept his gun at ready over Yuske's shoulder while they headed down the tunnel before them. _I wonder what got him to straighten up so quickly…_

The two getting to the end of the tunnel had to open fire quickly for they were spotted in no time at all and one villager even tried to sneak up on them from the right. Leon took down the one from the right while Yuske fired once at the one near the house not too far away from them. Seeing that there were a two houses here, Yuske nodded at the one straight ahead. "I will check out this house and you go look at the other one down there." Yuske pointed to the left just a bit noting another house beyond the shed.

"Alright, but be careful, Yuske," Leon attempted to warn. "For there could be tra—."

Before Yuske could care to hear the rest and Leon could finish, a bear trap closed quickly upon Yuske's leg digging into his flesh harshly to hold him in place. Throwing his head back, Yuske cried out in unsuspecting pain. "God—**DAMMIT**!" Shooting an angry look at Leon through his pain filled expression, Yuske snarled a bit at him, "You could have gotten to the point faster!"

Before Leon could speak about that or react on what happened to Yuske, he aimed his gun right at the currently surprised Yuske making the detective start to sweat seeing as he was trapped at the moment. "Look out!" Leon eventually blurted out firing at the stick of dynamite that nearly landed in Yuske's territory causing the stick to blow up just a ways from the stuck half demon when the bullet married with it.

Yuske powered up his Spirit Gun to blow out half the house to get revenge on the attacker that would dare do such a thing while he was cornered. Managing a painful laugh with Leon hurrying to his side to help him out, Yuske eyed the American policeman sarcastically yet again, "I thought for a minute there you were going to blow my head off for that remark. I am glad you knew it was just a joke."

Grabbing onto the sides of the bear trap to release Yuske, he managed a chuckle himself before releasing the sprung trap that ensnared Yuske once his partner was free. "I have a fair sense of humor. What about your leg? Are you terribly injured? Let me take a look at it—."

Yuske's leg was bleeding now thanks to the trap catching him by surprise but the blood loss that mated with his clothing at the moment and the minor pain meant little to him. "Trust me, Leon, when I say I have been in fair worse scrapes then a bear trap. It just happened to take me by surprise," Yuske clarified turning back to the house he demolished half of with his Spirit Gun. "Well, I am through here—let's check the other house."

Leon couldn't help but sigh a bit at what he was looking at that was the aftermath of Yuske's spiritual gun before bothering to follow after him. "You're going to have to be careful, Yuske, for these people are smart and brutal with these traps."

Yuske quickly turned to his right to shoot down another dynamite throwing villager not wanting to go through that once more seeing that yet again his single attack took the man down in no time. "I can tell that now, thank you for the update, Leon," Yuske remarked sounding irritable before reaching the door that appeared to be padlocked. "Locked, eh?"

Not giving Yuske time to take action, Leon did it for him by kicking in the door and breaking the padlock. "Unlocked," was all Leon had to say as he stepped inside of the house to trip off the explosives he saw from a distance with his gun.

Yuske following in behind Leon could only shake his head at him, "I could have done that for us."

"Shhh," Leon ordered with the raise of his hand hearing a sound in the distance. "Do you hear that?"

"What?" Yuske asked with a grumble and his hands in his pockets.

"Shhh, listen, listen," the cop begged, keeping his guard up.

Yuske paused for a moment to listen to the banging deep within the house that made the detective a bit unsettled suddenly. "The hell is that?" He asked in a soft whisper following Leon into the corridor that was beyond the eating area.

Leon was unaware but the two followed the sound regardless tripping up the next traps set within the house a decent distance away. Looking about the room the hallway emptied into, the two saw nothing and the banging seemed just out of reach. "It's not in here, but it's somewhere close by," Leon whispered to Yuske heading over to one of the walls to listen beyond them while the detective took a gander at what was within the room. Getting to the bookcase in the room, Leon turned his ear in that direction to find where the sound was coming from. "It's coming from within here—help me with this bookcase, Yuske."

"Sure," Yuske said with a shrug. As Leon moved it a bit from where it once stood, Yuske just squatted down to grab the bottom of it to heft it up with Leon in total. Seeing that Leon was still attached, Yuske cocked his brow at him. "You can let go now, I've got this."

Leon couldn't believe Yuske's strength no matter how many times he saw it but he said nothing about it at the moment as he released the bookcase since Yuske obviously had it under control. Watching him place it down somewhere close by, Leon nodded into the adjoining room to see that all there was at the end of it was an armoire that appeared to be hiding something inside of it.

Yuske saw that the armoire's door to the right was jostling a bit, he powering up his index finger slightly to indicate he was ready for what may come out of there once Leon threatened to open the door to let whatever was in there out. Exchanging a nod to go ahead with the American cop, Leon flew open the door causing a body of a tied up and gagged male to fall out of it.

Both aiming their weapons at what was to come out, they looked back at one another after examining the lively man for a moment. "I don't think he's one of those things," Yuske remarked powering down to rip the tape off of his mouth.

"Jeez—a little rough don't you think?" The man grumbled while he remained on the floor.

"I don't think so either," Leon agreed before pointing his handgun threateningly at the man before them wondering what was going on here. "So who are you?"

The man with shoulder length black hair looked at the two before him, confused as to why they were there and what they were doing. "No, I am not one of them. And who are you guys? Are you both one of them?"

Yuske and Leon both looked at one another before staring back at the stranger. "No," the two men answered in unison.

The floorboards behind Leon and Yuske began to creak as they stayed focused on the one before them prompting the two to look at one another wondering who would be behind them since they took care of the villagers. "Oh great, the Big Cheese and his sidekick," the man on the floor muttered.

Turning around quickly Leon aimed his handgun at what appeared to be the chief of the village only to have his neck snagged tightly. "Yuske…!" Leon practically begged hoping he would help him out.

"Put him down, ugly!" Yuske growled powering up his index finger causing the Chief to flinch at the threatening light attack.

It didn't take long for Yuske to lose his composure once somebody's fist met with his cheek causing his head to fly to the left from the impact it dealt him since it was strangely within his league of an S class demon. Flinching and hissing from the attack given to him, Yuske growled in surprise when his right wrist was grabbed and he was unable to pull it free from whoever attacked him to begin with. Yuske was about to turn back around to look at his attacker but couldn't for the creature pulled him back by the wrist it still had in his grasp to throw Yuske harshly against the armoire causing it to collapse under the pressure of the throw and Yuske's strong body smacking into it.

Collapsing to the floor on his front and being slightly buried under the rubble of the piece of furniture, the Spirit Detective moaned in pain wondering what happened to the pushover villagers he was used to. Attempting to look up and focus on what attacked him again, he was forced to close his eyes once more when Leon's body came flying right at him, landing on top of him and the stranger they set free. When Yuske managed to look once more beyond the cop's arm that was within his line of sight since Leon was crushing his back with part of his back and skull, Yuske's weary eyes could only stay open for so long thanks to the pain dealt him. But the image of the one beside the chief of the village startled Yuske before he finally shut them from the surprise attack. "Shi—Shi…" Was all he could say before passing out with the other three.


	5. Chapter 5

"His Spirit Gun is a form of a light attack," a familiar voice beckoned from within the dark, surreal surroundings in Yuske's mind. He could barely make out who they were but he could see that he was being held down in a chair and out like a light—as if he were watching himself from the ceiling of the room.

"A light attack, eh?" Another voice asked, sounding foreign to the detective. This man that came a bit closer into the light wore purple robes and hood that covered and masked the man's face. "No wonder our men have been taken down by one blow from this man concerning the sensitivity the plaga has towards light." Turning his back to the body of Yuske and pulling out a syringe of some kind, he came close to Yuske's neck to inject the half demon with what the vile contained. "No matter—I will just give him what I gave you and the others and he will be defenseless until our blood overtakes him." The egg inside of the vile slithered into Yuske's neck as the man began to laugh evilly, "No demon, human, or half demon can fight our power. He will be unable to resist it!"

* * *

Yuske moaned softly, shaking his head in attempts to wake up from the brutal attack he received. He saw from where he was that the stranger they freed and Leon had already woken and Leon was interrogating him on Ashley's whereabouts. Thinking back on what happened since it had been awhile for anyone to knock him out with that kind of force, Yuske let the others talk amongst themselves without him for awhile as his body was tied separate from the other two and leaning against the opposing wall to where the other two men rested in the center of the shack.

_It couldn't be_, Yuske thought remembering the face he could just see before his injured body could not hold out after the blow he was dealt. _How could **he** be here…? If he is here, we are **ALL** in big trouble…!_

"I overheard one of the villagers talking about holding two women in a church," the Hispanic man's voice remarked, breaking off Yuske's concentration a moment. "I think that is where your female friends could be held captive."

"And who are you?" Leon asked the stranger since he figured Yuske was still out cold for the moment.

"Me llamo Luis Sera," Sera answered. "I used to be a cop in Madrid. Now I'm just a good-for-nothing guy, who happens to be quite the ladies' man."

Yuske could only look down at the moment, sighing about what all was going through his head and what he feared he might have to do as this journey was to continue.

Hearing the sigh forced Leon and Sera to look Yuske's way. "Your partner does not look so good," Sera remarked with his accent. "Hey, amigo, I see you are still alive!"

Seeing that Yuske was alright, Leon breathed a breath of relief since he didn't want to believe that a creature in this world was stronger than someone such as Yuske. "Yuske, are you okay? I cannot believe that creature took you out like that. Did he catch you by surprise?"

Yuske said not a word, looking angrily and worryingly off to the side a moment continuing to dwell within his mind about how the tables had turned.

"Y—Yuske…?" Leon asked to himself since he could see the worried expression on the detective's face amongst the anger as well. He knew that if someone as strong as Yuske was worried, they all should be.

"And who is he?" Sera asked, nudging Leon best he could from how the two were tied back to back. "A friend of yours?"

"I don't know who he is too well either," Leon admitted softly to the former officer behind him. "He has yet to tell me anything."

"And you two are partners?" Sera couldn't help but chuckle a bit at that. "And I thought I was bad with my partner."

Leon cocked his brow at the man tied behind him since he was obviously assuming stuff out the ear when it came to Yuske and him. "We're not partners that work under the president, we're just temporary partners for the time being. I was a solo officer in Raccoon City during the viral outbreak and then I quit so I still feel I can work just fine on my own but it is easier with company at times."

"And I thought I was bad," Sera remarked to lighten the dreary mood that Yuske was emitting from where he sat silently. "But—now that you mention that outbreak, I think I saw a sample of that virus in the lab at my department."

Before Leon could say anything to that, one of the blooded up villagers shut the door and came dragging himself in with an axe he wanted to use to slay the two, namely Leon and Sera. The two of them freaking out over the sudden predicament they were in, Sera and Leon scooted away from the oncoming villager that was eager to get them first instead of bothering with Yuske who was still moping against the shack's right wall.

"Do something, cop!" Sera ordered knowing that they were running out of a place to drag themselves to.

"Right after you," Leon insisted.

Before the axe that was gradually raised could come down, Yuske came up from behind, using his chains that had bound him and he managed to escape from to remove the weapon from the villager's hands by having it embrace the wrists of the villager and jerking him away from Sera and Leon. Obviously rattled with anger, the half demon used the same chain to choke the man to death, before popping his head off with use of his brute force to make the chain tighten too quickly for the body to fight against. "Son of a bitch," was all Yuske mumbled before bothering to use the axe that had embedded itself in the wall to break the restraints of Sera and Leon.

Once free from the chains that held him, Sera jumped up quickly eyeing the detective with surprise before dashing out of the shack and leaving the two behind without another word.

Watching Sera head quickly out of the building, Leon turned his attention back to Yuske wondering what was going on with him. "Yuske, what is wrong?"

Yuske raised his hands a moment before throwing them down to the left as if to toss something there, sighing out his frustration. Not saying a word, he stormed out of the shed leaving Leon behind once more to contact Hunnigan on his visual radio since he remembered he hadn't since he arrived.

"It's Leon," Leon called into the radio once Hunnigan's image popped up. "Sorry I couldn't call in sooner but I was a bit tied up at the moment. But don't worry, I am fine now."

"That is a relief," Hunnigan's voice replied softly over the radio.

"I managed to run into someone down here which I wanted to tell you about earlier but couldn't find the time to," Leon confessed referring to Yuske and the current partnership they held. "He's not human and has amazing powers. He's not one of these monsters but apparently something has him angered at the moment."

"Who is he?"

"Yuske Urameshi from somewhere in Japan is what he told me," Leon answered. "He hasn't told me much about himself but I plan on interrogating him soon enough if he didn't leave me here. We are in a temporary partnership," Leon went on to explain. "There was also another male here. According to him, Ashley's in a church somewhere."

"What happened to that one?"

"He managed to escape," Leon sighed, unaware Yuske was just around the corner of the building listening in and looking at the road ahead of them.

Walking out of the building that they were contained in from where he was positioned in the doorway, Yuske stood out front to take a peek at their situation realizing that the villagers were all over the place this round. _Great_, the detective groaned peeking through the broken section in the wall. _If we have to go through that, I will be killed in the state I am in!_

Hearing someone coming up from behind him, Yuske jerked his head around quickly to see Leon coming over to him to touch Yuske's shoulder. He halted, however, when he saw the angry look on the half demon's face. "Yuske," Leon began as he put away his radio, "what is the matter with you? What was that thing that took you out?"

"What do you mean?" Yuske asked trying to avoid the subject on the creature that took him down before hand still trying to think of a way out of the situation they were in.

"You said something before you passed out, I heard you." Squatting down on the opposite side of the large abrasion in the wall, Leon kept his sight on the Japanese half demon though he could clearly feel Yuske trying to avoid him. "You said 'Shishi'—what is Shishi? Was it that creature—?"

"Okay!" Yuske barked silently so as not to get the attention of the villagers nearby. "Damn—alright already…" Rubbing his face with his hands a moment, he shook his head before looking directly at Leon with a serious expression. "His name is Shishiwakamaru and he was a friend I was searching for—among others of his nature and class. The reason he looks the way he does is because he is a demon of a high class and his abilities were that of controlling souls with his sword." Looking off to the side a moment unable to believe what had happened, he sucked in his lower lip as if to punish himself by biting down on the flesh a bit hard. "I don't understand one thing—he not only looks different but his demonic aura and his status in the demon world has gone…up."

"And obviously by the tone of your voice, this is bad," Leon questioned.

"He was an A class demon at best when I last was with him and now he is in my league if not further beyond it if there is such a demon class…he is the high and rare S class demon," Yuske confessed. "A class of demon you couldn't last a second against no matter what you were taught."

"You're a demon?" Leon asked after a moment of silence since he couldn't believe he was working with such a person though his belief in what Yuske was wasn't difficult for one such as Leon to grasp concerning all he had endured.

"Yes, I am a half demon," Yuske corrected. "My father was a demon and died by not eating humans so I had to try and take his spot when he passed on since he was one of the rulers of Hell. Anymore questions, Leon?"

Leon could tell that Yuske was getting irritated with all of the questions heading the detective's way so all he could do was look through the large fracture in the wall at what was before them. Seeing the several workers lingering just beyond the wall, Leon knew it would be a challenge for them even if he encountered something such as this back at the village. "What should we do now? Can your Spirit Gun clear a path for us to get back to the village where we last were? I think there was a church somewhere nearby there and that is where Ashley and Botan must be."

Yuske hissed through his clenched teeth with disappointment at it all as he motioned slightly with his hand as a substitute for a shrug. "I can't—use it anymore." Seeing that Leon was confused and wanted a further explanation when the half demon eyed the former officer, he sighed in irritatable defeat. "They did something to my Spirit Gun and my spirit energy and I cannot use it!"

"You're kidding," Leon breathed as he knew sooner or later he would run low on ammunition and he was praying that Yuske's Spirit Gun would get them through the mission in no time at all.

Hating to admit this and knowing that his powers were gone, Yuske got to his feet and walked off back towards the shack with a frustrated sigh through his nostrils. "Now what do we do? All I have is my strength and your whiney handgun and those two combined cannot get us through this mess!"

"Excuse me," Leon coughed, "but I also found a shotgun in one of the houses nearby so don't lose it on me now, Yuske. I have a bit of ammunition to get us by."

"Get you by, yes," a strange voice beckoned from just beyond the house, "but is it enough to save you both? Come here and I will show you something worth while, stranger."

Yuske and Leon both looked confusingly to the side of the building the spirit detective was leaning against to find a man wearing a heavy overcoat, and mask and hood and who was obviously eavesdropping on their conversation. The two men exchanging looks of confusion at the appearance of this new man, who disappeared and headed towards the back of the house, managed to shrug at what he had said and decided it wouldn't hurt to wonder what this villager wanted.

Leon went first with his handgun at ready since Yuske was more or less defenseless and he didn't want the detective to go down by an eavesdropping villager even if the man didn't attack them just yet. "What do you want?" Leon's deep voice asked with a glare to the man before him.

"Easy now, stranger," the man urged with almost a laugh, "I've got something here that might interest ya both." After saying such, the villager pulled back his coat to reveal the many weapons he had stashed away making Leon feel like he had landed in a candy shop.

"This is excellent," Leon muttered but didn't drop his guard just yet around this merchant since he was apparently one of them. "So, what is the catch?"

"No catch," the merchant answered with another laugh. "If you have the money, you can take what you want."

"Perfect," Leon praised silently putting away his weapons to pull out his wallet. Paying for another shotgun that he saw in the merchant's arsenal, he also purchased more ammo for his handgun and the rifle he found appealing. "Here, Yuske—take this."

Yuske cocked his thin coal brow at Leon, taking the extra shotgun that the former officer purchased for him obviously. "And just what in the hell am I supposed to do with this? I may use a Spirit **GUN** but a spiritual gun and a real handgun are two different things!"

Situated the handgun within his case of items he had and keeping his rifle and shotgun out, Leon got back to his feet to pat Yuske on the shoulder with a sort of brief, comedic grin. "Lesson number one, that's a shotgun and not a handgun. Follow me."

Letting that all register a moment, sarcasm included, Yuske followed behind Leon back to the fissure in the wall they were peeking through earlier.

"Lesson number two," Leon began aiming the rifle just beyond the fracture at the closes villager. Nailing him right in the neck and taking him down with one shot, Leon looked back at Yuske, "Aim and fire. Don't let your aim be off. If it is when it comes to these people, we're in trouble. Contrary to popular belief, keep both eyes opened unless using this rifle."

Watching Leon suddenly get up to cross over the break in the wall since they needed to head down that path, Yuske felt obligated to ask, "Anything else?"

The men nearby saw Leon step from where he was hiding and started pointing and yelling at the ones in the vicinity to go and get him and to be aware. Hearing this and knowing that the villagers would be after them both now, Leon turned to look over his shoulder at Yuske with a sort of sly grin. "Lesson number three, don't get killed."

Scoffing almost, Yuske got to his feet to get behind Leon before cocking the shotgun he now held. "Alright then, teacher, lead the way."

-----------------------------------------------------

Botan couldn't help but bang her fists against the locked door before her. She had done so many times since she was brought there and called out to anyone she prayed might be listening and would free her. "Ugh, I swear I am going to get them!" She growled with her brow wrinkled in fury, "Turning our friends against us and making them into these—monsters! Shishi would never do this to me!"

In the corner, another young woman in her twentieth year on earth sat with her knees to her chest looking worried even if she had company. Moving her blond hair slightly from her sight, she looked at Botan from where she sat. "We're never getting out of here, are we?"

"Oh, I wish we were, sweetie," Botan sighed, coming over towards the only person she could speak with at the moment to sit down next to her. "But I don't see us getting out anytime soon unless help is sent for us…I lost my communicator so I cannot call Yuske or Koenma."

The young girl didn't bother asking who those people were or who it was she muttered about on occasions being swayed against her. All she could do was pray that the nightmare would soon be over for the two of them. "We have to find a way out, Botan."

"I know, Ashley," the messenger girl admitted with a dreary sigh knowing that hope at the moment was slightly dim. "And we will…we'll think of something…" It was all the two could do was to comfort the other with a hug, a smile, and maybe even a pep talk of some kind from where they now were being held captive within the desolate church.

-----------------------------------------------------

Leon continued firing at the oncoming villagers until the last one managed to fall to his death, lying there at the officer's feet in a pool of his own tainted blood. Reloading his now handgun that he was reduced to for the fourth time, he looked back at Yuske who had tried to wield the gun he was given but failed quite a few times leaving Leon to do most of the work to show him how it is done. "What do you see that way, Yuske?" Leon asked, seeing and hearing that no more were heading their way.

Yuske had ascended the black stairs while Leon guarded the base hoping that nothing would attack the detective on the one job he was sent to do. Examining the door before him, Yuske hurried over to the stairs to call down to his partner, "It's a door of some kind. Get up here and help me open this thing."

Putting away his weapon as all remained quiet minus a few drops of water tapping upon the grungy, blooded floor, Leon helped himself up to where Yuske was standing to find the door he was having difficulty with. "Does it not have a way to open it?"

"Do you see any doorknobs on it?" Yuske nearly grumbled, letting Leon take a gander at the door that was before them.

"Mind if I take a look at it?" Leon asked, keeping his gaze on the large green orb that held a black insignia on the door.

"Be my guest," Yuske insisted, moving aside feeling that Leon wouldn't have a clue as to how to open it either and they were stuck either way.

Seeing that insignia could move, the former officer of Raccoon City took a wild guess and moved it up and then to the left causing the door to swing open for the two. Standing upright once more, Leon couldn't help but eye Yuske with a smirk at his accomplishment to take on a task so simple, making Yuske roll his eyes and head on in the room without a word. Slamming his hand on the brash detective's shoulder, Yuske could only halt, growling irritably at Leon and showing off his demonic fangs for the first time.

"What!"

"Quiet and stay behind me," Leon ordered stepping in front of Yuske noticing that they were in a room of somebody's. "With you powerless and unable to wield that shotgun properly, I need to be up front while you cover the rear. At least you can try to fire that thing at people I don't care get killed."

Yuske couldn't help but jeer at Leon with a smirk, keeping the gun readied as he wondered where they were. Heading to the desk up front, Yuske pulled out the drawers to look inside of them, finding nothing of interest though Leon found a note there upon the bed in the room.

"What's this now?" Leon wondered reading the note on red paper while Yuske continued to look around.

Yuske looked over at Leon when he found the note upon the bed and got deep in thought at what was written upon it. About to ask what was on it, he stopped when he heard someone just outside the door with his demonic hearing. "Leon," Yuske whispered eerily, catching the officer's attention. "There is someone outside of the door."

Leon had to pretty much read Yuske's lips since he was speaking so low, it was hard to hear him. Translating what he wanted to say, the American cop got back out his handgun since they had to go that way to get to the church and he didn't want to be taken by surprise anymore. Hurrying over to the door quietly with Yuske covering him from the back, Leon nodded at Yuske waiting for the demon's nonverbal agreement to open the door before Leon flew it open to attack whoever it was just outside only to get the opposite.

The Chief of the village grabbed onto Yuske and Leon both by the neck catching the two by surprise even if Yuske had heard the man walking out in the hallway. The two struggling to be put down, the leader of the villagers eventually did so once he saw red consume both their eyes hinting that the deed had been done. Both hired help being thrown back down so they could catch their breath, the Chief loomed over them. "You carry the same blood as us. Nevertheless, you are both troublesome outsiders and if you both become nuisances—the consequences will be dire."

Yuske kept his glare upon the one who dared attack him in such a manner and bared his demonic fangs to the Chief until the man finally left, heading back into his bedroom that the two surfaced from. Getting up and hurrying over to Leon to help him to his feet, Yuske asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Leon answered, keeping his eyes on the door that was closed to them now. "But, what did he mean by 'same blood'?"


	6. Chapter 6

The two men remained silent for a moment when the chief of the village went to his bedroom, only to have the silence break with an incoming call from Leon's radio. Jumping slightly from the sound, Yuske eyed the radio that Leon eventually pulled out, "Your form of communication to the outside world?"

"Yeah, it's just Hunnigan," Leon assured, allowing the image of Hunnigan to pop up.

"I had a communicator but it looks like a woman's makeup mirror," Yuske admitted with a scrunch of his nose.

Seeing the other male conversing with Leon, Hunnigan couldn't help but comment, "Is that Yuske Urameshi?"

Yuske cocked a brow at Hunnigan but said nothing as he tried to look at the woman that was aiding Leon as Botan used to aid him.

"Yes," Leon answered, "that is him. He's harmless—which is not a good thing at the moment."

"Something happen?" Hunnigan wondered aloud, situating her glasses on her nose.

"They took away my Spirit power," Yuske answered almost pushing Leon on the floor so he could be seen by the woman clearly on the other line. "I cannot use it and it was the one thing that could have made this an easy ride."

Leon growled a bit when Yuske shoved his palm on his cheek to push him aside for a moment before forcing the detective off of him so Leon could go back to Hunnigan, "So, now we are more or less in a difficult situation. Not that I cannot handle it."

"Well, I have some information for the both of you that could be helpful," Hunnigan remarked, bringing a piece of paper within sight so she could read what was written upon it.

"Fill us in," Leon insisted with Yuske peeking over his shoulder.

"Apparently, there's a religious cult group involved. They're called the Los Illuminados."

Leon and Yuske both couldn't help but look at one another and wonder in unison, "Los Illuminados?"

Laughing briefly to himself, Leon shook his russet hair, "That's a mouth full. Anyways, we both had an unexpected run in with the big cheese of this village. I am surprised he didn't just go ahead and kill us since we were both unable to stop him from doing so."

Thinking back on the run-in with the village chief, Yuske couldn't help but ponder on something that he said about the two of them, "He said we carried the same blood. Do you know what that means?"

"Interesting," Hunnigan replied almost in a daze. "I am afraid I don't know what it means exactly but you two need to hurry and find that church. Botan may very well be with Ashley, Yuske," she felt a need to remind Yuske, "so please aid Leon on the way there. Your strength is needed."

"So I am your back up?" Yuske wondered once Hunnigan stopped the call.

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Leon replied, putting away his radio before getting out his gun. "More like a sidekick."

"Sidekick!" Yuske retorted in a low, angered voice. He had never felt so insulted in all his life being that he was the main man back in the day when it came to the tournaments in Makai being held every three years. "Thanks, Batman."

Raising his finger at Yuske to make him be quiet, Leon grabbed onto the doorknob of the door before them that was the chief's bedroom area. Looking over his shoulder at the angry detective, he raised his brow in question, "Are you ready?"

Nodding was all Yuske could afford to do at the moment as he tried to ready himself for whatever might be in there since the chief did just head to his bedchambers. Since the shotgun was more or less a hassle to attempt to wield, Yuske decided to go with the strength he still had.

Leon went ahead and opened the door, letting himself in to follow after the chief of the village only to get grabbed up by him once more by surprise. When the chief tried to reach for Yuske, the detective rolled out of the way before getting back to his feet to veer back his right fist and have it collide with Mendez's cheek. The force was so powerful that Mendez couldn't help but release Leon as his body was sent into the wall resting near his bed.

Turning to Leon, Yuske asked, "Are you alright?"

Coughing a bit since his throat wasn't used to being gripped that tightly, the American cop placed his hand on the slightly abused skin with a nod, "Yeah, thanks."

Hefting himself up with a furious sounding growl, Mendez hurried towards the two quickly wanting to make them pay for that surprise attacked. The boys getting ready to fight back, Mendez stopped short of the two when two or three gunshots went off as the bullets released embedding themselves into the monster's left side.

Yuske and Leon immediately turned their attention over to the window in the current bedroom to see a woman just outside, firing at Mendez and saving the two. Yuske could only wonder who she was as Leon seemed a bit captivated by the woman in the obvious red dress but said not a word as she disappeared to escape the oncoming chief who crashed through the window to get her.

Looking to Leon with surprise, Yuske gradually got to his feet with his guard up as he headed over to the window before them that was now completely shattered thanks to the boss of the village going through it. "Who the hell was that?" Yuske wondered before turning to look at Leon once more who was getting to his feet as well, gun readied in hand. "I was aware that Sera is out there but I don't think he would be caught dead wearing something like that red dress. Did you bring friends?"

"No, none," Leon answered honestly joining Yuske's side to look out the broken window with him. "But something about that woman—she reminds me of someone…"

Seeing the dreamy look in Leon's russet eyes, Yuske couldn't help but pat him on the back a moment, "Alright, Romeo, let's get a move on. We have a church to find, remember?"

"I know that," Leon remarked with a bit of a scoff, "but that church area is closed off. How are we going to get in there?"

Watching as Leon headed back towards the door they had been running back and forth through, Yuske took one step to follow after only to stop at the feel of something beneath his foot. Lifting his foot and moving it to the other side, Yuske bent down to pick up the Insignia Key that Mendez most have dropped when he either punched him or when he went to attack the woman in red. "Well, well—looky what I have here," Yuske seemed to say in a teasing tone to show off the key within his hand now. "Is this what you were looking for?"

Leon widened his eyes a moment as he came closer to look at the key that could very well unlock the church area. "Where did you find it?"

"On the floor," Yuske answered before pocketed his find. "I guess I shook him lose with that punch and that key fell out of his pocket."

Shaking his head with a bit of a smirk, Leon nodded towards the door, "Then let's head back to the village. We could use that key to get to Ashley and Botan."

Nodding in agreement, Yuske followed behind Leon so they could head back to the main village area.

* * *

The man in the purple robes could only listen to the information being given to him by the demons he had converted over to his side with the Las Plagas. Sitting within his throne he had acquired, he let the hooded demon next to him remain faceless behind the hood he had up though he treated the demon like his second hand man. "So, we have another person here to cause problems?"

"A female with black hair and a red dress," the transformed Shishi explained on one knee, hiding somewhat in the dark of the castle. "I saw her escape through the forest area around Mendez's home, heading this way along with the American officer and detective."

"If you saw her," the hooded demon next to the man in the chair began, "then why didn't you stop her?" His tone was angry and bitter thanks to the Plagas that overtook his mind though it was once full of compassion for his own friends.

Shishi couldn't help but raise his red colored eyes to look at the two before him, mostly growling inwardly at the demon beside their Lord. "They couldn't possibly make it with the dangers that lie ahead," Shishi insisted with his palms turned upward as if to shrug. "I am sure if anything, my pet, El Lago, will stop them."

"You don't know this, and we cannot afford to make anymore mistakes!" The hooded demon growled, threatening to come closer to tear apart at Shishi for his carelessness.

"Relax," the man hiding under the purple robes insisted outstretching his arm to stop the demon closest to him from attacking Shishi.

"But my Lord, we have enough people conspiring behind our backs as it is," the demon under the hood growled. "The American detective, the Spirit Detective, this new woman, Luis Sera, and let's not forget the ones that got away!"

Grinning slightly, the man looked up at the demon beside him to see his piercing red eyes staring back at him. "You worry too much, my friend. Remember that we took away Yuske's light attack so he is as defenseless as can be. As for the cop and Luis Sera, I dare them and that woman to try and attack us. The others running around about the castle matter little to me. Let them conspire for I will be ready if they dare try something." Turning his attention back to Shishi in the dark, he kept his cool when responding, "Shishi, you may attempt to take care of these people as you desire. Take your pet and kill these two men for we cannot allow them to get to the church."

"Yes, my Lord," Shishi replied, disappearing from sight with his demonic speed.

With Shishiwakamaru gone from sight, the demon still in the castle turned to look back at their master. "What if he fails, my Lord?"

"So pessimistic," the man couldn't help but laugh. "If he fails as you predict, I am sure he will pay with his life. But in all, it should prove interesting since Yuske cannot bring himself to kill his only friends."

* * *

Back in the main village area, Leon opened his hand with a wave of his fingers towards Yuske, "Give me the key you found."

Pulling out the key from his pants pocket, Yuske handed it over with the EMP gun he now acquired from the merchant they met on the way back to the Pueblo scooping the area just in case anyone was to pop back up. Leon was praying that something that was a bit smaller in size would be easier for Yuske to handle since he needed backup at the moment.

Inserting the key and turning it, Leon was relieved to hear the click of the door to indicate it was unlocked. "Alright, Yuske, come on. Let's go."

Turning around, Yuske watched as Leon opened the door and headed on inside before following after him. Back inside of another room, Yuske cocked his brow a bit remembering that half the villagers entered through that door and he couldn't help but wonder, "How could all of those people fit in here and then vanish?"

"I bet there is more to it then that," Leon answered keeping his shotgun at ready for the moment since he feared a large crowd attacking him. Stepping into the backroom, Leon headed into the very back to see a hatch on the floor that had been recently messed with. Peeping over his shoulder, Leon called the detective to his side before moving the hatch completely to reveal a bunch of stairs that lead into a dark, dank tunnel.

Looking at Leon when he passed a glance at him once more, Yuske cocked his brow at the officer with a bit of a smirk, "After you."

Leon crawled down the ladder before hopping off at the third step with a grunt. The murky water beneath him splashed from his landing before Leon moved further down to check and see if it was safe before Yuske finally joined him from the rear. "Be careful. After those villagers piled in here, I am a bit on edge about one attacking us."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Yuske insisted as the two of them continued down the tunnel.

The tunnel continued for awhile before the darkness finally opened up to a bit of light and a graveyard standing before a church. Yuske was relieved to see such a sight but couldn't help but charge on ahead of Leon with one thing in mind and that was to save Botan. _I am coming Botan!_

"Yuske, wait!" Leon begged quietly fearing what was out there only to have the detective ignore his plea. Keeping his shotgun close to him, he hurried after the brash Yuske, firing at a nearby female villager that spotted Yuske and was about to attack him from behind.

Turning around just in time to see the woman get shot to death, Yuske could only watch as Leon shook his head disapprovingly.

"What's the matter with you? There is something called being stealthy and not drawing attention to ourselves! Do you want all the villagers to come down upon you?" Leon growled reloading his shotgun quickly since a male had heard the commotion.

Yuske frowned at the lecture he was receiving before turning towards the oncoming male villager. Holding the TMP he required at his hip, he began firing it off rapidly until the male had obviously consumed enough bullets to go down and stay there. Reloading his gun, he looked back over at Leon with the same glare he held before, "I think I've got it covered."

Shaking his head, Leon followed up the rear this time since Yuske was so intent on getting to the church up ahead.

Yuske was the first to reach the entrance to the church and attempt to pull it open only to find it was locked. "Well that's just crap-tastic!" Yuske growled, trying to pull the door apart with his strength only to get the same response as before which was nothing.

Reaching for his radio, Leon contacted Hunnigan once more, "Hunnigan, it's Leon again and I am afraid Yuske and I cannot get in. The doors are locked."

"Didn't they teach you to pick locks at the academy?" Hunnigan wondered sounding a good bit disappointed as well at these turn of events.

"There's some sort of indention," Yuske announced from examining the door before him that he was tearing at in attempts to break it down. "It looks like we need to find another key to get inside."

"Don't just stand around then," Hunnigan insisted. "Find that key and get those two girls out of there."

Putting away his radio, Leon nodded beyond the church with his shotgun still at ready. "Come on, Yuske. There is no point in just beating at the door. Let's look for that key."

"But it doesn't make any sense," Yuske growled, following after Leon feeling so close and yet so far. "I should have been able to break it down with my demonic strength!"

"They must have been expecting you and reinforced some of the doors," Leon explained going around the wooden ledge up ahead to find more villagers about to attack them. "Just like they were expecting me…"

"Enforce doors strong enough to withhold an S class demon's strength?" Yuske asked a bit baffled, aiming beyond Leon's shoulder to knock down a villager just a ways beyond the male that Leon was trying to take down. "That is damn near impossible, my friend!"

"Maybe so," Leon answered once their way was free for the time being of angry villagers, "but capturing strong demons and injecting them with this disease these people have seems just about as impossible to me as well."

Leon was in a way right the more Yuske thought on it. How could this man capture his demonic friends and force them to do his bidding? Even if they were made stronger and psychotic, a demon would attempt to rise up and destroy a mere human no matter what was running through his veins or how strong he made them. But something was keeping them from attacking this guy Kurama labeled as 'Saddler' in his diary and it made Yuske worry as he continued after Leon into the next area that would lead them into the deadly swamp.

* * *

The right hand demon to Saddler was looking out at the area about them from within the castle. He feared their plans falling apart and didn't want the American cop and Spirit Detective that he had befriended to make it any further than they had and something just didn't sit right with how things were progressing so far with those two.

Footsteps coming closer to the thinking demon, he turned to face the messengers he called upon without his leader's consent. Showing that they were listening, the two got to one knee and lowered their heads since they feared one wrong move would cost them their life at the hands of the much more powerful demon. "I want you to be prepared for Shishiwakamaru's death," he bluntly replied. "If anything happens to him, I want you to get ready to unleash the other demon we have locked away in the quarry area."

One of the villagers lifted his head boldly with a surprised look upon his features as he asked in the language that the demon had come to know as his own, "So soon? But the officer and detective have yet to make it to El Lago as it is."

Walking forward, the hooded demon clawed at the face of the villager, tearing away at his flesh angrily at his order, "Don't you dare question me!"

The other villager brought up his arms to block the spilled blood from his partner when the demon tore away at him for his punishment. Four thorned whips sprouted out quickly from the back of the demon and embraced the villager's body that he attacked previously, turning to face the other that was in obvious fear.

"What are you waiting for? Go and prepare him for the fight that is about to ensue!" The coldhearted demon demanded with his teeth slightly bared.

The villager didn't have to be told twice as he hurried to his feet to get things prepared beyond the lake side.

* * *

Yuske and Leon were trying their hardest to get through the swamp area but found themselves literally flooded by oncoming attackers in the murky water they were fighting within. Leon was taking the on the ones before them that were blocking where they needed to go while Yuske took the ones that were coming from the rear.

"They are getting awfully persistent," Yuske remarked over the growling of the villagers and the firing of their weapons. Seeing that the rear villagers didn't want to give up just yet and wanted to continue to come out of what felt like nowhere, Yuske nudged Leon from the back when he heard the cop stop firing. "Leon, I want you to go on ahead without me for now. I can handle these people and keep them off your back."

"You're crazy, Yuske, I am not leaving you here alone!" Leon insisted about to drag Yuske off with him.

"Just leave me here for a minute, Leon!" Yuske begged, getting his arm back from Leon that he took to try and haul the detective. "I promise I will make it out just fine. If I don't have my Spirit Gun, I have the TMP and my demonic strength. And if by slim chance I don't make it, at least rescue Botan for me, eh?"

A part of Leon felt that Yuske would make it just fine and he knew that Yuske just wanted one of them to get ahead and spare the other's ammo. Nodding eventually, Leon hurried through the cloudy swamp water as fast as he could, jumping over the bodies he shot down to get to the next area. "You better make it, Yuske, or I will come back to shoot you myself!"

Yuske could only wave over his shoulder at Leon to let him know he heard the officer before going back to the villagers that were trying to swarm him and take him down.

Leon hurried east to the next trap that was laid out to catch him off guard which consisted of another tripwire bomb that the villagers had set up among the swamp. Spying a villager not too far away from the trap, Leon aimed his gun and shot the monster in the back to get his attention along with another that was hiding not too far away. Not too pleased with Leon's attack, the villagers were heading quickly towards him, forgetting all about the trap they had lied out for him. _That's it_, was all Leon could think at the moment as he stepped a bit back away from the wire he could see. Needless to say, the trap went off and blew up in the villager's faces making Leon scoff at their stupidly they sometimes would show.

Stepping over their bodies that had been engulfed by the explosion, Leon headed to the top of the rise that was before him once he ignored the path to his right and started ascending the slope. Getting to the very edge, Leon eventually ducked down spying another set of villagers out on the lake with one of the police officer's body that had accompanied him to the village to begin with. "What's this?" He wondered quietly, bringing out the binoculars he kept on him to get a closer look at what was going on.

Two of the villagers on a boat dumped the body overboard before quickly taking off to the other side of the lake. Watching a moment longer, a giant creature leapt out of the water to engulf the body in a single bite making the dead figure his meal.

Putting away his binoculars quickly, Leon couldn't help but slowly get to his feet, "Shit…"

The monster was obviously a lake dweller and to fight something that was underwater and as big if not bigger than a whale would be difficult. Heading back down to the other path he passed by, Leon made it out to the dock to see that a motorboat was there waiting for him to use and it held a few harpoons for him to employ for weapons if need be. Putting away his gun for the moment, he looked out at the vast lake seeing no sign of the water creature yet but a bit of him knew that once he got out there, he would be attacked. "I guess I have no choice in the matter, eh?" Leon mostly wondered aloud to himself.

Getting into the motorboat, Leon started it up and stirred it out on the lake. There was debris on the lagoon water that consisted of tree trucks of sorts and made Leon believe it wouldn't be a problem to maneuver around if that lake dweller ever tried to chase after him. But as he was continuing towards the other side without problems, an evil laughing sound caught his attention and the officer stopped the boat.

"You traveled out here alone, cop?" A demented tone cackled as if from all angles on the water. "What happened to Yuske? Did he not survive out there?"

Looking around the area, Leon tried to pinpoint the creature speaking to him eventually turning around quickly with his gun aimed behind him at the large island of tree debris in the center to find the horned demon standing atop it. His hair that reached his mid-back was a bit unkempt and colored lavender while the two horns sprouted from on top his skull was black. His nails were the same color and longer than he expected a demon's to be but they were drenched in blood as was the white top he wore indicating he had slaughter some of the villagers himself or possibly ate from them. "So, you must be Shishiwakamaru, eh?" Leon asked aloud. "This should be interesting."

"It should prove so," Shishi retorted back with a sneer, calling up the ghosts of the ones Leon and Yuske managed to kill as well as himself. The transparent beings moaned and howled in torment before swarming a bit around Leon in attempt to lose his edge while Shishi stayed planted where he stood, eyeing the performance in twisted glee as Leon tried to swat at the spirits about him. "Let's see you get by me, Mr. Kennedy."


	7. Chapter 7

The one villager asked by the right hand demon of Lord Saddler hurried out to the quarry area as he was instructed to as he searched for the next demon they had experimented on and locked up because he too had become too disoriented to allow loose in the village area or anywhere else.

Spying a few villagers already lined up just outside of the area where the demon was contained, the man waved at them, "Has the American cop and detective finished off the Shishi demon?"

"We have not heard word of what is going on," another villager responded in their own warped sounding tone. "But it matters little, for the next demon should take care of him."

The demon they were referring to was watching through the cage they had placed him in though it was not enough to restrain his powers, but the threat of what Saddler would do to him was. Grunting angrily as he listened in on the conversation, the demon snorted slightly allowing an icy like vapor to expel from his nostrils before causing the clouds above everyone to bellow in a thunderous warning. A bright bolt of lightening shot down quickly near the gathered villagers caused them to quickly silence and jump back at the demon's 'playful' attack on them. Throwing his head back and cackling at their surprised look and the fear he could now smell and thrive off of, the hidden demon banged his palms upon the wooden pillars that towered over him to create the cage that meant little to him.

"Jesus," one hissed silently, eyeing the area where the demon was being kept hidden. "Are you sure we should release such a dangerous beast?"

"I should hope not," the messenger responded, his eyes remained upon the door concealing the wild demon. "But it matters little—these creatures rule over us as second in command when it comes to Lord Saddler. So we should watch ourselves when we release this one if it comes to that."

--

Shishiwakamaru continued to laugh at the ghosts swarming about Leon, causing the officer to growl in anger, turning his shotgun right at the demon's chest where his heart was located before firing. Seeing the move taking place, the lavender haired demon quickly dodged the attack on him in such speed that surprised Leon.

"Hu—where did he go…!" Leon wondered aloud to himself in bewilderment as he looked about the area quickly.

"Why so surprised?" Shishi asked with a wide, evil like grin as he eyed the cop from another part of the floating wreckage just beside the mystified American. "I am an S class demon after all with speed and tricks you haven't seen."

Looking over his shoulder to find the demon squatting there close by, his face nearly right up into his own, Leon frowned at the demon's agility, though not wishing to admit that it frightened him. "That does not mean I will not try to take you out, no matter what it takes," Leon threatened, cocking his shotgun and aiming it at Shishi's heart once more.

Shishi looked down at the gun pointed directly at his chest, not flinching or budging for the time being. Shifting his eyes back into Leon's, the demon grabbed onto the barrel of the gun with, what seemed to anyone else, little effort to hold onto it and lift Leon up with it to have the officer dangling soon before his sight. The moaning spirits continuing to howl and slither about Leon's body and Shishi's cut the silence between the two as Leon struggled to get his gun back, unable to believe the demon's strength.

The demon tilted his head slightly to the right with an inquisitive look on his face before shifting it into a complete demented looking grin. His long black, blooded nails reaching for Leon's face prompted the cop to close his eyes as he knew it was pointless to attempt to attack such a powerful beast. Shishi could only revel in the fear pheromones granted to him before shoving Leon back down in the boat with his shotgun in total.

Grunting from the push into the motorboat, Leon couldn't help but topple off of the boat he took as he fell into the murky water for a moment. Coughing from the sudden intake of the water when he resurfaced, Leon embraced the side of the motorboat he had parked nearby the powerful demon, pulling some of his now damp hair out of his face so he could eye the creature with a growl.

"You're too easy to kill by my hands alone," Shishi remarked in an insulting tone, tapping his finger upon his cheek as if to be in thought whilst the moaning spirits gradually vanished from whence they came. "So—," here Shishi floated right before Leon using his energy, kicking him in the face to make the man release the boat and slip back into the water once more, "—I will just let you say hello to my little friend instead!"

Blacking out a moment at being kicked at quite the force from the demon, Leon eventually opened his eyes underwater to realize what was going on and to catch himself before his body drifted further into the swamp water. He was about to head back up to confront the demon that did this to him, but halted in doing so when a piece of the scenery seemed to move abruptly. Eyeing the moving landmass with a squint, Leon couldn't help but jerk his head back and panic slightly whilst swimming quickly to the topside once realizing that the landmass was actually the large beast that he saw take in the officer's body earlier.

Taking in the air he was denied underwater, Leon threw his head back with a loud gasp. Hearing the loud roaring and arise of the sea beast, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder to see the monster surface for a moment before going right back under. Since Leon didn't want to be eaten by this creature, he quickly pulled himself onto the motorboat unaware that the anchor that fell from the boat was now caught in the flipper of the giant sea beast until the boat took off without his say so, following at a distance behind the lake dweller.

Shishi couldn't help but laugh manically at the pediment that Leon was now in as he called out to him, "I hope you and my El Lago have fun! I trained him myself!"

Leon could only grumble at these turn of events before noticing a pile of harpoons within the motorboat he acquired. "This should do the trick for that monster," Leon replied to himself before rearing his hand back to toss the harpoon and nail the creature right in the back, the beast screeching in pain from the attack before going under to avoid another if there was ever one to come.

His smirk turning into a serious frown, Shishi saw that if the creature was hit enough times with those, it would take no time in faltering. "Oh, no you don't," Shishi grumbled, getting out his sword to power up his Banshee Shriek.

A shot was soon fired, the bullet piercing through Shishi's right shoulder. The blood now seeping from the wound caused the demon to hiss in a wide-eyed expression as he peered over his inured appendage to see the older former Spirit Detective standing on the dock with his TMP gun readied for multiple firing if it had to come to that. "Why don't you pick on someone your own strength?" Yuske asked sounding furious though he was angry at the situation the Shishi he once knew was now placed in.

Ignoring the pain dealt him previously, Shishi turned towards the defiant detective with a scoff. "Well, well—you survived the villagers after all. I should have expected as much concerning what a pathetic race they come from."

Looking over near the dock when the shot was fired, Leon called out to the man, ignoring the position he was in for a moment, "Yuske!"

"Be smart for once, Yuske," Shishi chuckled, coming closer to the detective with his demonic speed though not close enough to be shot once more. "We both know you are not going to kill me. It's against everything you stand for."

Yuske swallowed hard as he kept his gun readied, showing signs of submission over what the horned demon was telling him being it was all true. He knew it wasn't Shishi's fault for doing this—there was no way he wouldn't do such a thing unless threatened or brainwashed. Flexing his fingers a moment on the gun he held, Yuske nodded at Shishi with his frown remaining where it was, "I am not going to kill you—I refuse to. But I will peg you down if need be so I can get the others."

"You either walk past here over my dead body, Yuske, or I dance on top of yours," Shishi remarked morbidly, raising his hand off to the side a moment, as if to halt the sea beast from attacking Leon any further so he and Yuske could talk. "So, which will it be?"

"I am not going to kill you, Shishi," Yuske repeated, shaking his head slowly as if showing doubt.

"Yuske, don't be an idiot!" Leon called over to the detective from where he was trapped out in the swamp water.

Hearing Leon's remark, Yuske switched his attention over to the American cop for a moment.

"He's not the demon you once knew, so just kill him!" Leon demanded aiming his own shotgun at the demon's back where he was situated.

"I cannot kill him no matter how evil they have made them," Yuske retorted back, shifting his focus back on Shishi who wasn't moving from his perch upon the debris a good bit away from Yuske and Leon both. "I refuse to end his life like this!"

"How about we do it this way then, Yuske," the lavender haired demon began. "Either you kill me and walk through, or—," snapping his fingers once, the large lake dweller resurfaced with another mighty roar, capsizing Leon's motorboat thanks to the body of the beast ramming into it and throwing the officer far from his vessel. "—or your American friend suffers the price and dies by the jaws of my Lake Dweller. Your choice."

Switching between Shishi and the El Lago with his EMP gun, Yuske eventually huffed with frustration before putting away his gun to dive into the water quickly. Swimming for Leon, who couldn't get to his motorboat thanks to El Lago heading from that direction, Yuske eventually got to the officer's side before witnessing the open jaws of the lake dweller.

"This fight is over!" The demon remarked in glee.

"Agreed!" Yuske smirked, grabbing onto his EMP gun just in time to start rapidly shooting at the El Lago within the mouth to make the monster release a cry of agony before disappearing gradually into the water that would now be his grave. Shifting his attention over at the angered Shishi, Yuske pointed his gun over to the demon in a threatening manner. "Now—what is your choice?"

Shishi's shocked expression downed into a serious frown as he thought about what his fate was to be now. "Fight me now and we'll see who wins. Without your Spirit Gun, Yuske, you are powerless."

"You sound doubtful," Yuske pointed out, not faltering this round though it was difficult with all things considered. "I still have my strength and demonic speed and all I need is that to take you on."

The sword Shishi kept beside him at all times quickly came from its sheath as the demon dashed towards Yuske and Leon. "I will not be defeated this way!"

A gunshot was fired as the bullet released caught the demon unexpectedly right in the chest. When Yuske saw the sudden pause in Shishi's attack as well as the surprised pain written all over his face, he quickly looked over at Leon to notice that the American cop had fired his shotgun to take out the demon regardless of what either one wanted. Shishi dropped his sword within the murky swamp water before collapsing himself into it face first not expecting the other human to attack him and get in a good shot at the pace he was going.

Seeing his friend drop and sink into the water before them, Yuske panicked as he released Leon, "Shishi!" Yuske swiftly dove underwater swimming as fast as he could towards the sinking Shishiwakamaru before finally looping his right arm underneath his friend's underarm so as to pull him upward to the surface.

Leon made his way to the motorboat he was thrown from previously, shaking his head to get the water out of his russet hair before turning it back around to pick up Yuske who now had also surfaced with Shishi's body. Grabbing onto Yuske's free hand, he pulled the detective on board, only able to frown at the body he brought with him as he was wondering why Yuske would bother.

Shishi inhaled sharply to take in the air he was denied earlier though it was difficult to breathe concerning where he was shot. Blinking a few times, the demon's once red eye colored turned back to normal. "Yuske," Shishi replied in a rasping breath, "I am sorry…"

"What the hell happened to you guys?" Yuske demanded to know, trying to keep Shishi alive and well as he took off his coat to place upon the demon's bleeding chest.

Leon steered the boat over to their next destination, listening in on the conversation though his back was turned to them.

Struggling to stay alive after the unexpected bullet wound to his chest, Shishi shook his head from side to side whilst he closed his eyes to flinch at the pain. "I—I don't know…they injected us…parasite…"

"What—Shishi, you're not making any sense," Yuske remarked trying to make sense of the demon's dying words.

The demon's fingers suddenly tensing up whilst he appeared to be choking on his own blood, Shishi's body finally relaxed indicating that he had died as soon as Leon made it to the other dock across from the large swamp.

"Shishi…?" Yuske called softly, grabbing onto the demon's shoulders to shake him gently. "Shishiwakamaru, wake up! Don't die on me!"

"Yuske," Leon began with a serious sigh, "it's over. The guy is dead."

Yuske could only look angrily up at Leon as the American departed the boat, acting as though his own friend's death was nothing. It angered the detective as he got off shortly after Leon so he could push the cop in the back to show he wasn't happy. "How could you do that to him and then treat him like it is nothing! Shishiwakamaru was my best friend and you killed him!"

"Yuske, he was brainwashed!" Leon retorted angrily in return, pointing in Yuske's face. "He was infected with something and you should be thanking me! If it hadn't been for me having the guts to shoot him and end his life, he would still be under someone else's control!"

"There is always a way to get around the infection he could have had beyond killing him!" Yuske growled, clutching his fists.

"Stop living in a fantasy, Yuske," Leon remarked harshly as he reloaded his shotgun. "The only way to save your friends, who are obviously working under somebody, is to shoot them clear in the chest or head."

Having to think of doing that to anyone caused Yuske to unexpectedly charge at Leon to punch him clean across the face with his fist though only using a little bit of his strength so as not to kill the officer, "You bastard!"

The impact of Yuske's fist caught Leon by surprise and forced the officer to fly off to the left before bashing his side into the nearby house nearly blacking out from the attack, but managed to shake it off. Wiping the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand angrily, Leon gradually pushed himself to his feet to eye Yuske. "Don't start with me, Yuske. We shouldn't even being doing this concerning all the nuts nearby."

Yuske didn't care to listen as he aimed his gun at Leon, prompting Leon to do the same to show he wasn't afraid to take down the detective if need be. Using his demonic speed, Yuske disappeared before Leon before reappearing in his face with the gun pointed at the left side of Leon's skull. "You kill my friends, and I will kill you—understood?"

"I cannot promise that, Yuske," Leon responded honestly, aiming his gun at Yuske's chest.

Before Yuske could make anymore threats at his temporary partner, he started to show signs of vomiting. Pushing away from Leon quickly, Yuske placed his hands upon his thighs before bending over to vomit a bit upon the dock, coughing within his hands harshly shortly afterwards.

Leon was about to ask Yuske what was the matter before he too started coughing and feeling nauseous. Pulling his hand back from his mouth Leon saw spots of blood splattered upon his hand and witnessed from the hazy view that Yuske as well was bleeding from his harsh coughing. Sensing his body about to shut down, Leon hurried into the nearby house before collapsing upon his knees and then his front before finally blacking out.

Yuske tried to follow after the officer, but was unable and just passed out in clear view upon the dock from whatever it was attacking his body.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Author's Notes_**: Eh-heh…sorry about being so quiet but lack of interest and support does that to you. But, well, since it's summer for me, I will try to catch up on a few chapters of this or whatever and see what happens. Anywho, yeah—here it is.

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The night had consumed the day as Leon stayed there face first upon the dusty, rickety floor of the house he had passed out within earlier that day. His fingers jolting slightly, the American cop moaned in misery as he steadily pushed himself up on his palms to look at the boards of the building he was contained within. "Man…what happened to me?" Shaking his russet hair from side to side, the sound of his radio going off caught Leon's attention once he made it to his feet.

The image on the radio showed Hunnigan as the young woman messed with her glasses for a moment, showing relief in her expression at being able to see Leon once more. "Leon, what happened? It's been six hours since our last transmission. I was starting to get worried about you."

The cocky cop couldn't help but scoff lightly, "Don't you mean lonely? I passed out once Yuske and I showed signs of—Yuske!" Having to be reminded of the Spirit Detective, Leon quickly hurried out of the house into the dark night to hunt for the young man. His feet quickly taking him toward the dock where they last fought, Leon searched frantically for Yuske only to find him gone as well as the body of the demon, Shishiwakamaru. Knowing that if he shouted for Yuske it would draw more of those people towards him, Leon reframed as he clutched his teeth angrily to hiss in slight despair, "Dammit!"

"Leon?" Hunnigan's voice called from over the radio. "Leon, what's going on? Where is Yuske Urameshi?"

His serious expression looked down at the image upon his radio as he shook his head. "I am not sure." Leon squatted down to eye the dirt before him to see that someone had been dragged away sometime within the hour or so with a pair of fresh foot prints trailing amongst the marks though slightly smeared thanks to the dragged body. "I am guessing they have him now," Leon reported almost sorrowfully. "It's hard to tell thanks to the dark but I can slightly see someone has been dragged through the dirt. I am betting it was Yuske."

"Find him, Leon," Hunnigan seemed to order sternly. "They couldn't have gotten far with Yuske. He's you're only hope in at least having a partner in this mission that seems to be more than we expected. So find him!"

"Yeah, I can tell the tracks are slightly fresh," Leon confirmed with a nod. "If I know Yuske, he'll raise hell when he awakens. Talk to you later, Hunnigan." With that said, Leon shut off the transmission so he could put up the radio and head onward. As he was heading past the building, a piece of paper stuck to the side of the house he had recently departed from caught his attention. "What's this?" He wondered aloud as he snagged the note from the area it was stuck to.

_There's an important item hidden in the falls. If you are able to get it, you might be able to get Ashley out of the church. But I'll warn you, the route to the church isn't a walk in the park by any means. They've deployed a demon that can control the weather and darkness and is beyond anyone's control so God bless. About what's been going on in your body... If I could help you, I would. But unfortunately it's beyond my power._

Flipping the note from the front to the back, Leon couldn't help but gaze up at the road that was ahead with an irritable sigh escaping through his lips, "Another demon up ahead? That's just perfect. Without Yuske at my side, I am deadlocked on fighting them." Pocketing the letter, Leon continued onward in the dark, stormy weather with his gun at ready.

--

The hooded right hand demon to Saddler stood in wait of the news of Shishiwakamaru from the highest part of the mansion like church he was watching over for the sake of his leader he now obeyed. A part of him felt that it was over and Yuske had won. Even without his spiritual powers, it would be wrong and not to mention, foolish of him to doubt the boy. But as he remained fixed there looking out beyond the arched window, his time in silence was broken by the man he served.

"You seem so eager," Saddler's eerie, deep tone replied from the right of where the demon stood, refusing to falter in his appearance. "I must say, you impress me so. Your friends are out there being hunted and killed and it fazes you very little."

The deep, crimson eyes were the only thing that stared out beyond the hood that clouded up the appearance of the demon as he looked at Saddler who was coming closer to where he rested with his hands folded behind his back.

Saddler stood beside his right-hand demon as his black and red veined hands touched upon the windowsill the faceless demon stood at. "Demons are such interesting creatures. Give them more power and they forget who is friend or foe and they hunt down everyone they deem worthy to be hunted. Tell me, demon, does this Yuske and American cop interest you in when it deals in the great hunt?"

The demon in red robes looked back out at the forest that was there before him where he knew the two were hiding out for the time being. "If none of those demons before me can take them down, then I will deem them so. But if their life is taken before my hands can clasp about their neck and squeeze them of their very last breath, then they are not worth my time."

The ferocity of the demon astounded Saddler but he merely grinned from under the purple hood that kept his identity sealed. "In the mean time, why don't you hunt down those other friends of yours who got free?"

"Because they are not worth my time," the demon answered bluntly as his eyes remained positioned outside of the rain stained window. "Let them run free about the church. If they dare try and take my life, however, they will find theirs ending sooner than expected. I do not doubt the power I have. They are just as weak as humans compared to what you granted me." Turning to face his leader and commander, the demon managed a bow before excusing himself from the moment he was caught up within. "Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have other matters to tend to, Lord Saddler."

Saddler watched silently as the demon left, only able to assure himself that things would most certainly go according to plan now with such creatures at his side. "You two might as well give up," Saddler remarked to himself as his index nail made a horrible screeching sound as he dragged it down the window glass before him. "You will not make it through my forces, especially not at night."

--

The villagers were stronger than ever with the moon out and the sun down. It made Leon do quite the acrobatics to try and stay alive as he dodged oncoming items being thrown at him while shooting several times at the culprits hoping not to decapitate them. The Las Plagues had shown its true colors and being the whip like plague would surface if the head was removed, it made Leon's mission much more difficult now. Thanks to the previous T-Virus prompting him to remove the head on some occasions, it was difficult for him to remember not to do so and just aim for another part of the body.

The officer could see just out of the corner of his eye where the lever was that would stop the water flow when it came to the waterfall not too far away from him. The note he read previously still rang freshly within his mind and he knew he had to get to that lever to get beyond the waterfall to find the item he was told of. But the villagers were coming in great numbers and without Yuske at least watching his back, it was becoming a problem. Angrily looking up at the lever that was just above him, Leon looked back at the oncoming persistent villagers, just in time to dodge a pitchfork being thrown his way.

"Screw this," he grumbled putting away his gun so he could climb the ladder before him to get to the lever. "I will just have to shoot them as they attempt to follow me from up here."

Grabbing onto the switch, Leon tried with all his might to move the thing but it just didn't want to budge with one strong pull to it. Getting his handgun back at ready from where he had put it away, he started firing rapid shots at the ladder seeing some of the villagers were still trying to stop him. Trying once more to move it, Leon finally got the rusty thing to move and the waterfall ceased quickly once it was pulled.

"Finally, the stubborn thing!" Leon praised with a serious smile before looking back over to the only way up or down to see more villagers attempting to stop him in his mission to save Ashley. Wondering what to do now seeing as he couldn't very well plow his way through the oncoming infected, Leon looked frantically left and right for another route to escape. A chain not too far away, rattling slightly thanks to the wind that was blowing caught Leon's attention as he hurried over towards it to grab on tightly in his attempts to swing towards the cave entrance that was once being blocked by the waterfall's powerful flow.

The villagers watched angrily from where they were all piled up as Leon swung upon the chain to drop near the entrance they had been frantically trying to prevent him from getting to. Leon could only turn around with a mocking grin upon his face as he pulled out a hand grenade to rip the pen from before tossing it at the group that had gathered all conveniently in one spot. The grenade ignited, burning the many villagers to nothing but ashes and causing everything in that area to go with it.

Leon showed no remorse as he saluted the ones he managed to take down, readying his gun once more, "Now, about that item I was told of…"

The cave remained as dark and dreary as the ones before it that Leon had explored within only to be surprised by the candlelight that surrounded a door just dead ahead that was placed within the damp rocks. Continuing cautiously towards it, Leon inspected the door to find a round insignia implanted within it. He touched it a bit to find that it was indeed removable, which allowed him to take the item and pocket it for later use.

Leon stepped back for a moment as he aimed his gun at the area revealed once the door rose before him. There came nothing but the sound of water the further he moved beyond the door. Regardless, Leon remained on edge as the tunnel led him to a dock with another boat for him to take. "Well, this is convenient," Leon couldn't help but say aloud as he put his gun away to handle the boat. The boat wobbled slightly thanks to the weight being added to it, but Leon paid it no mind as he stirred it towards the merchant's dock. "Don't worry, Yuske, I will get you back even if you want to pummel me to the ground for killing your friend. I cannot afford to lose you now."

The boat stopped right at the next departure point where Leon got off to head above ground with his gun back out, ready for anything that could come his way. Nothing was there but the full moon to light up the area that was dimly placed before the officer. Leon still couldn't help but worry—the demon that would be coming up struck a type of fear in him he had never experience before. Normally it was no big deal to take down monsters like those that were infected, but to know that a creature with super strength and had little weaknesses were fighting against him made him buckle slightly and fear for his life. But he had no choice. He had to take on the next one with the realization that Yuske may not be there to help him.

Sidestepping the next corner, Leon traveled onward only to be stopped by villagers once again who were scrambling to open a large door that towered over him. "This must be it," Leon said to himself as he got out his shotgun from his case. "This must be the next demon I was told of. God, I hope I make it out alive."

The villagers began speaking to one another in their own tongue that they could decipher, prompting a few of them to work together to open the door that was chained shut to keep the demon at bay. Leon watched closely from the door he had just come from. The clouds bellowed overhead as lightening struck dangerously close to where Leon was standing. As the cop jumped backward, he ran into the wooden gate that was soon placed to prevent him from leaving the circular quarter that would be considered the fighting ring.

The lightening began to strike constantly around the opposite door to Leon before an explosion caused dust and dirt and debris to fly in his direction. Bringing his arms up to stop it from hitting him in the face, he could only wait until the harsh wind stopped blowing before looking back over at the gate that the demon was hiding behind.

The thick dust finally cleared, showing the many dead bodies of the villagers nearby as the demon stood there grunting and groaning with a constant heavy snorting and breathing through his nostrils. His skin was a pale color, just like the others with veins of black and crimson trailing all over his body. His blond hair was a mess and mated with blood and dirt and weighed it down about his face and to the back of his neck. The crimson red eyes narrowed at his next target with a sneer upon his face.

"So," the demon began as he ambled forward slowly, "you are the one causing all that trouble."

"Where is Yuske?" Leon demanded to know aiming his gun at the demon's heart knowing that is what took the last one.

The demon stopped his causal stroll towards Leon, shrugging with an evil chuckle tickling away at the creature's throat. "How the hell would I know?" Pointing at the man before him, he continued, "I was only asked to kill you and take you down or anyone who dared to open that church! You may have taken down my partner, Shishiwakamaru, but he was **NOTHING** compared to me!"

Leon couldn't help but try and steady the shotgun in his hands when he noticed he was trembling so much under the knowledge of their strength. Cocking the gun, he nodded slightly at the beast before him, "And you—who are you?"

The hands of the infected creature steadily rose to the side of his face before facing his palms upward as if to allow the human one last look at what he was. "The Beautiful Suzuka," he answered before snorting slightly, the air unleashed transforming into a crystalline vapor thanks to the cold night. "I advise that you take a good look at all that is around you for it's the last things you'll ever see it." Bending his knees slightly with his legs apart, Suzuka crossed his arms in front of his face to gather the dark power he was granted with that injection.

The once beautiful, rainbow like powers he had obtained and perfected were transformed into dark prisms and clouds. Leon could only watch in complete and utter terror as the area around them was consumed in a dome of darkness that felt cold and filled with nothing but emotions of all negativity. It made Leon embrace himself and pull his coat tighter about his body as he started to go numb due to the feeling engulfing him.

Suzuka grinned, placing one hand upon his hip while the other hung down at his side as he marveled at his own barrier. "Do you like it? I picked this little beauty up while training."

"It's…so…cold…" Leon couldn't help but stutter as he dropped to one knee in the agony that was surrounding him.

"Hmmm, I know," Suzuka remarked before throwing his head back to laugh evilly at the barrier that had no affect on him. "This barrier is filled with nothing but hate, anger, jealousy, sadness, and any other lovely emotion you can come up with. Emits a 'warm' welcoming feeling, don't you think? Without your ability to focus, you're mine!" Raising his right hand straight up into the air where his fingers touched the air above them, the demon could only grin ear to ear with a sadistic look upon his face before lowering it.

Prying his eyes open through the horrible, icy pain he was feeling about his figure, Leon gawked painfully at the stance the demon was taking before looking up at the ceiling of the dome to see it part to give way to an oncoming lightening strike. The pain still attacking his body from head to toe, Leon forced himself to the right so he could dodge the oncoming attack the demon had unleashed to strike him down with, literally. Rolling to the side, he attempted to draw his gun only to flinch at the overwhelming pain and collapse face first, writhing.

Suzuka watched as Leon managed to dodge the attack only able to lie there upon the floor since the dark power he unleashed was sucking up his energy emotionally and physically. His dark, evil laugh bellowing from his throat as he watched the scene, he witnessed the human thrash about wearily in the horrible tenderness from the surrounding darkness while making his way up to Leon. "Well, well," he began as he steadily made his way over to the shaking human, "I guess I put too much hope into thinking you could actually be a challenge."

Leon said not a word as he remained there trembling horribly from the dark energy that had consumed his form. It made him weak and it felt like icy daggers were stabbing him from all over. The pain made it difficult for him to move even an inch and right there upon the floor, he couldn't believe he even wanted to pray for death to come claim him.

Suzuka placed his foot upon Leon's face attempting to bury him right into the ground before feeling a bit bored with his playmate. "As much fun as it has been, I guess I will be kind and end your miserable life."

Leon managed to open his eyes once more to witness Suzuka placing his hand back into the air in attempts to call upon another lightening attack. _I'm sorry, Ashley_, Leon apologized before closing his eyes, getting ready for it to be over with. _I have failed…_

The dome that had them both surrounded in darkness parted once more but not to allow passage for a lightening bolt, but to allow way for a flash grenade that exploded the light the infected hated intensely.

A scream of pure hatred escaped the demon's lips as he covered his eyes as the blast of bright light seemed to penetrate his skull thanks to the plague taking root in his body in its attempts to hide from such horrible light. Losing his concentration, the dome of darkness he had created dissipated allowing the torture and torment that engulfed Leon to steadily leave him.

Leon remained upon the ground for a moment, keeping his hurting body embraced in his arms as he saw feet drop within inches of his sight. Forcing himself to look up at the being before him, he couldn't help but inhale a strangled breath of air. "Yu—Yuske…"

"Trust me, I should of left your ass here to get kicked," Yuske retorted coldly only able to shake his head in shame at admitting that out loud. "But—a part of me cannot allow that."

Suzuka finally pulled his blood stained hands from his face as he growled angrily at having to be cut from his attack. "You son of a bitch!" He hissed furiously, knowing it was Yuske as he turned to the former detective. "I should have figured you weren't too far behind!"

Yuske pulled out another flash grenade, tossing it up and down as he came towards Suzuka, recognizing the demon as another of his friends. "Suzuka, give up now. Just surrender so I don't have to destroy you!" Yuske pleaded with the demon as he kept the grenade at ready just in case the demon tried something tricky.

"You're just as brainless as ever," Suzuka retorted with an annoyed snort through his nostrils, acting like a wild stallion as he remained slightly hunched with his eyes locked on the deadly device Yuske kept. "Why would I surrender to you when it's so much easier to kill you?"

Yuske was beginning to feel helpless in this situation as he sighed, looking off to the side for a moment though keeping a lock on the demon's energy signature just in case it spiked.

Leon could see Yuske's hesitation surfacing once more as his demonic friend refused to give in to any demands. "Yus—ke," Leon began wearily as he tried to help himself up off of the floor.

Yuske looked over his shoulder at the American man trying to rise though only getting to his knee.

"If this is too hard…let me do it…" Leon suggested, panting heavily from the aftermath of the darkness that was gradually letting go of him.

"I refuse," Yuske responded with an angry growl at his own weakness when turning his attention back to Suzuka. "I can take him down myself and I will find a way to make it so he won't have to die!"

Suzuka could only chuckle at Yuske's response. "I wish you luck, detective," he remarked sarcastically as he turned to the side with his hand raised. "Now that I have both your attention, let's see how my other attacks will work on you."

"Suzuka, don't!" Yuske begged as he threatened to throw the flash grenade he had in his arsenal.

"**Black Prism**!" Suzuka called out as a pitch black rainbow marred in crimson swerved about his arm. Outstretching his arm before his body, the tainted rainbow split up in large boomerang type forms to attack Yuske's body seeing as he was in front, like electric daggers as they sliced up his body to unleash massive jolts of electricity with every hit.

Yuske could only throw his head back to scream out in pain from the attack that numbed him gradually from head to toe thanks to the immense electric shock he received. His eyes almost void of life after the eighth encounter, Yuske dropped to his knees before falling face first on the ground as the flash grenade rolled from his hands. The blood of the detective marred with the ground beneath him from the flesh that was torn from his body thanks to that same attack making Leon gawk in fear of what would happen to him now.

"Yuske!" Was all he could call out, flinching from the pain that attacked his recovering body once more. His eyes quivering at the beast before him, Leon didn't know what to do as his fear was apparent to the demon standing within the arena. _Now what…?_


	9. Chapter 9

**_Author's Notes_**: Well, I haven't picked up my RE4 game in awhile, but I am still aware of what went on within the game. It's not like me to turn down a request, so I guess I will do what I can for this chapter. I hope you enjoy it.

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Suzuka stepped closely to the two injured men he had previously taken down. His heel embedding harshly within Leon's back, a pleased grin crept across his face at the sound of agony Leon emitted. "How Shishi failed against you two is a mystery to me."

Leon lifted his head wearily off of the ground with what strength he had left. His fingers bending steadily into a fist, he glared at the demon with a slight snarl. "If your friend…hadn't been so weak in his emotions…I know you wouldn't be standing…!"

"Spare me," Suzuka scoffed, raising his right hand once more to call upon the dark powers, which had been tainted by the injection he was given. "Now with you out of the way, Lord Saddler can finish what he set out to do."

The American detective closed his eyes, waiting for the pain to strike down his body once more. "Forgive me, Ashley," Leon muttered to himself, he holding his breath as if he were to dive underwater.

Suzuka was about to release his powers he now gathered only to be halted by the blinding light, which shot his entire body in immense pain. His concentration on his powers gone, the dark light he had gathered fled. Covering his eyes, Suzuka hissed and growled nearly digging his sharpened nails into his pallid skin. "God dammit!" He exclaimed angrily.

Feeling the blast of light nearly burning into his skin, Leon looked up at the towering demon to see Suzuka had turned around to face someone opposite to him. Leon's sight was hazy as was his hearing. The sight of everything doubling in vision as well as blurring made Leon sick to his stomach.

Suzuka glared at the man, which stood in the shadows of the dark land. "So—it is you. They did not take care of you, did they?"

"Nobody can be rid of me that easily," the arrogant male voice responded in the dark, appearing unafraid.

"What the hell do you think you're doing here anyways?" Suzuka demanded to know. He kept his distance from the man several feet in front of him, stepping cautiously to the side to reveal the Spirit Detective and Leon S. Kennedy. "You have no business here—**_LEAVE_**!"

The figure trying to hide in the darkness said not a word for a moment, as if to think on whether to depart or not. "He is too crazy to be left here to carry out such a plan as are you and the others. Yuske may be linnet, but I will never be."

"Well then," Suzuka grinned, kicking the soil slightly with his feet as he walked. "Let us just see how my power compares to **_yours_**!" The demented demon unleashed his Black Prism attack yet again, the dark attack slicing nothing but the large rock formation within the surrounding walls. The rocks collapsing kicked up a horrible, miniature dust storm making it difficult for Suzuka to see where his target went. "Where the hell did he go?"

From behind the puzzled, plagued demon came the man he was confronting previously. Drawing his sword he had in his arsenal, he struck Suzuka in the back; the sword piercing through his chest, the blade glistened in tainted blood. At the end of the sword, a serpent looking creature wiggled and squirmed about until stiffening and lying there dead upon the weapon. "Humph," the man grunted as he pressed his foot onto Suzuka's back to pull back his sword. "The only way to kill a plague."

Leon tried to force himself to look about the area once more though his body was going completely numb. He watched through his hazy sight as she man wiped his sword on the ground before sheathing it, turning towards the two men who were lying on the earth below in pain.

"Figures," the man grumbled, eyeing the American cop with his cold, red eyes. "You send people like this and you get nothing."

"Who…are you…?" Leon boldly asked as he tried to get up only to fall back to the floor with the horrible pain he was still feeling.

Grabbing his sword once more still sheathed, the shrouded man hit Leon in the head with the hilt of the sword. The force of it knocked out Leon yet again. "Shut up, human," he grumbled as he hefted the unconscious officer over his shoulder. "I sure can't do this alone, so I might as well help you regardless of how weak you both are." Furrowing his brow in frustration, the young man gazed up at the star filled sky. "I hate to say that I cannot do this by myself."

--

Within the coming hour, Leon began to feel his body once more as he steadily came to his senses. The feel of the finely polished wood beneath him made him wonder where he was as he steadily pulled himself off of a pew he found himself upon. Rubbing the side of his head, where it was pulsing in slight pain, Leon gazed at the small church he now found himself within. "Where the hell—." Catching someone out of the corner of his eye, Leon was quick to draw his gun and point it at the man, relieved to see it was only Yuske.

Yuske heard the click of the gun, gazing at Leon with a cock of his brow. "Hello to you too." Placing his hands on his hips, he expressed a sigh with a shake of his head. "What happened to us after that fight? I got knocked out, and I thought for sure we would be dead after that." Cupping his chin in thought, Yuske gazed back through the flickering candelabras to hook eyes with Leon once more. "Tell me, did a guy, who looked like a toddler wearing a pacifier, save us or give us some second chance to live through this?"

Finding that question a bit odd, Leon shook his head briefly as he got to his feet with his gun still at his side. "No…I…I actually saw some guy there who appeared rather rude but insisted we stay alive. He was wearing black, and he killed that guy—Suzuka, as you called him."

Hearing of Suzuka's death pained Yuske as he massaged his forehead with a sorrowful sigh. "I guess I will have to bury him as well."

Leon tilted his head slightly at Yuske's remark. "I meant to ask you, where did you disappear to when I wake up in that cabin back there?"

"I left your ass there to bury Shishi's body," Yuske answered, his russet colored eyes gazing at the hanging chandelier in the center of the church they were within. "I was looking for Botan but ended up seeing you instead and that little shoulder angel, which I wish I didn't have, told me to help you." Realizing where they were, Yuske turned to Leon this round. "Aren't we in the church?"

"Are we?" Leon asked as he jogged for the large double doors to peek outside. Cautiously opening them, Leon saw that the small cemetery they came upon was within view in the darkness. The lightening lighting up the sky, the American officer panicked at the sight of a set of sharp teeth heading right for him. Closing the doors on the beast just in time, he put his back against the closed doors with a quick nod of his head. "Yeah, we are in the church, and there are some nasty dogs outside waiting for us to exit."

Reloading his own gun, Yuske nodded towards the ladder he could see leading the upper level. "We'll deal with Hell's guard hounds later. Let us get Botan and Ashley out of here."

Leon followed after Yuske as they both ascended the ladder to the upper level. Yuske walked toward the broken railing of the balcony to investigate the drop from where he stood. Leon joined him to do the same, gazing over at the chandelier, which hung a few feet away from them; he realized that it could be used to jump to the other side.

"Follow me," Leon whispered as he jumped on top of the hanging chandelier. The light swinging to and fro thanks to the officer using his weight to prompt it to move, he jumped off on the other side of the balcony.

Yuske followed after Leon without hesitation. Hopping over next to Leon, he pushed his way past the American officer to take the lead. Spying a door hidden within a small nook on the right side of the church, Yuske readied his gun as Leon did the same once the former Spirit Detective placed his palm on the handle of the door. "Ready?" Yuske whispered.

Leon offered a nod with his fingers grasping onto his gun tightly, ready for whatever may be waiting behind the door that could be dangerous. When Yuske managed to steadily open the door, Leon stepped on inside in front of him. As he carefully surveyed the area, Leon was quick to duck when a piece of wood flew at his head. "Hey, take it easy!"

Yuske grabbed the wood that was thrown once he made it through the rusted doorway. Spying the frightened girl with short, stringy blond hair, who threw it, he scoffed at her as he tossed the plank on the ground. "Listen, girlie, we've had everything known to man thrown at us. Mind taking it easy?"

"Get away from us!" Ashley demanded as she hurried over to where the beaten messenger girl was hiding in the corner.

Botan looked up through her messy, sky blue hair to recognize the former detective she asked to help on the case she got caught up within. "Yuske—thank God it is you!" She exclaimed softly as she got to her feet with Ashley close by.

"You know these guys?" Ashley asked, pointing towards the two.

"Just the one," Botan chuckled wearily as she pushed tenderly from the president's daughter to run over towards Yuske. "I am relieved to see you, Yuske! I thought I would never get out of this hell." Looking over at Leon, she nodded at the young man with a questionable look. "And who is your friend?"

"I am Leon S. Kennedy," Leon answered, extending his hand to Ashley, who was still shivering in the corner in uncertainty with the new faces. "I came here on behalf of the president to find _you_, Ashley."

Hearing her father's title, she was quick to forget all fears while getting to her feet eagerly. "My father sent you—both of you?"

"No, he's **_your_** pickup," Yuske remarked, pointing to Leon. "I am only here for Botan and Botan alone."

Remembering the others, Botan quickly turned back to Yuske to press her hands on his chest to get his attention. "Yuske, something is wrong with the guys. I encountered Shishiwakamaru and the others and they are all working directly under this madman! Their powers are incredible—," Botan paused as she noticed something wounding in Yuske's sorrowful expression. "—Yuske?"

"We are aware," Leon said on Yuske's behalf, Ashley hiding behind the officer who came from her. "We had to kill two of them just to get through to you two."

"Killed them—you can't do that to them!" Botan panicked as she looked between the two young men. "Yuske, why didn't you wait it out until a cure for this could be found!"

Yuske growled in the depths of his throat, his heated gaze piercing at Leon as he crossed his arms. "Ask the American meathead over there. He was the one who killed Shishiwakamaru, but I don't know who did away with Suzuka. We both were lucky to get out of that one."

"You two are ridiculous," Leon countered, pointing between the two who disagreed with his methods. "Those demons could easily take over the entire world with that awful disease they have and it would spread to millions! I doubt even your ruler up there in Spirit World would enjoy dealing with such chaos."

Botan sighed as she embraced herself with a shake of sorrow at the thought. "The thing is, demons cannot be brought up to Spirit World and given another choice on life when they are dead, unlike humans and other creatures…their soul disappears once they are killed since they are already damned beings. I was hoping there would be some alternative to this madness…"

"I am sorry, but there isn't a way out but to destroy them and put them out of their misery," Leon answered coldly. "Look, I am sorry, you two, but we have no other choice. We are doing them a favor. I am sure they would rather their soul be lost amongst the damned then be locked in servitude for the rest of their lives." Putting his gun away, Leon got out his two-way radio to work on contacting Hunnigan.

Anger bubbling up inside of Yuske, he threatened to clock Leon once more with his fists only to be stopped by Botan as she pressed her hands against the eager detective's chest. "Yuske, don't, we need him to get out of here."

"Hunnigan, it's Leon," Leon said to his radio. "I've succeed in extricating my subject and finding Yuske once more."

"Good work, Leon," Hunnigan praised as she fixed her glasses on her nose. "I will send a chopper in that direction to pick all of you up."

"Alright, so where is the extraction point?" Leon asked.

"There's another trail that you can take to get out of the village. The chopper will pick you up beyond there."

Yuske looked over at Botan with a shrug and shake of his head. Placing his hand to her back, he guided her towards the doorway so they could head home. "Let's get out of here, Botan. We can get out without their help."

Pocketing his two-way radio once more, Leon turned to Yuske as he watched him head for the door. "I still think you're making a big mistake with the condition you are in, Yuske. Even with that gun and whatever pistol you can find, you won't be able to make it out alright without backup."

"I came here for Botan just as you did for Ashley," Yuske clarified, pointing at Leon with a criticizing gesture. "Even without my spirit energy, I am sure I can make it out just fine."

"What about your friends?" Leon asked. "Are you going to just leave the rest of them here?"

"I am not going to leave them here; I am going to find a way to save them!" Yuske said, his voice rising on every word he spoke to show his anger in the situation. "Just promise me you won't kill them all before then, Kennedy." Guiding Botan out of the prison she was kept within, to guide her down the decrepit staircase they could get to on the right side of the balcony.

Waving at Ashley, the American officer quickly dashed after the loose canon, Yuske. Storming down the stairs cautiously behind the former detective, Leon grabbed onto Yuske's wrist to pull his attention back towards him. "Yuske, you don't understand how many lives you are putting before your own!"

Yuske jerked away from Leon, narrowing his russet eyes angrily at him to show his disagreement in the matter. "You say that because they are not your friends!"

"Is this a way for comrades to act?" An eerie voice filled with arrogance and power asked from the altar of the church they were within. The dark purple robes covered the man's face and body as he kept his hood up to hide his plagued skin. He witnessed as the two men and their young female charges looked in his direction, a sneer gracing his wicked face. "I will take back the young females, thank you. How can I very well carry out my plans without their services?"

Both of the young men protective over the young females, they instinctively jumped in front to shield them. "Who the hell are you?" Yuske asked, getting back out his gun.

"If you must know, my name is Lord Saddler," he responded, remaining in front of the altar in the back where the candelabras bowed and weaved to express the ominous feeling about the building. "I am the master of this fine religious gathering."

"What do you want with Ashley and Botan?" Leon inquired next.

Lord Saddler released a chuckle within the depths of his throat as his bony fingers touched the woodwork of the altar. "To show the world our powers, of course," Saddler answered. "I have to admit, while snagging the president's daughter was the start of the plan, but grabbing onto the messenger girl of Spirit World was an added bonus." Descending the staircase before him, he stopped at the foot of the steps to point at the sky blue haired spirit, who resided in her human form. "And to think, when she returns to Spirit World, even our power will expand there."

Yuske looked behind at the speechless Botan with a raise of his brow. "Botan—what did you do to her!" He demanded to know, shifting his attention to Saddler once more with a click of his gun he held.

"Yuske, don't be stupid," Leon whispered as he nudged the young man next to him with his elbow. "What is your crazy plan, Saddler?"

"Believe it or not, it takes quite a bit of money to keep this church up and running," Saddler explained, looking at the decorative walls of the place they were within. "Why not get some generous donations from not only the president, but a bit of security from the man upstairs?"

"You fucking nutcase!" Yuske hissed as he shot at Saddler. Unfortunately, Yuske could only use one shot as Leon was quick to stop him from firing another one. Baring his teeth angrily at Leon for grabbing onto his gun, he shot his attention towards Saddler to see that the satanic leader had managed to dodge the bullet he released. "Don't tell me—he's another one of those monsters…!"

"A monster, eh? Do not worry, Yuske Urameshi," Saddler said in fake sympathy. "We gave you the same little gift we gave your friends."

Yuske and Leon both expressed their worry and shock. The two of them looking at one another, they prayed silently that it wasn't true. "Shot in the neck…while we were asleep," they both whispered to one another in unison.

"Don't look so glum," Saddler continued as he witnessed the changed expressions on the two men. "I sure hope you enjoy our small, but generous contributions. When those eggs hatch, you will become my puppets just like your friends have become, Yuske."

"You're a sick man!" Botan shouted from the back as she stayed behind Yuske and Leon with Ashley.

After her outburst, the doors of the church flew open to reveal men standing there with flaming arrows at ready to take down the four. Leon was quick to grab onto Ashley without hesitation, rushing for the right of the church to get to the window. Yuske dared not remain behind as he darted off to the left with Botan to exit out that way. Taking the full impact of the glass, which shattered when his body hit it, Yuske and Botan fell to the outside of the church, into the dark storm.

Yuske shook the glass out of his hair before turning to Botan. "Are you okay, Botan?"

"Yuske, what is going to happen to us now?" She asked in a pitiful tone, her cherry colored eyes big in sorrow and wonder. "We are both infected with this disease—the very one that took over the demons!"

Yuske shook his head, his dampened tresses sticking to his face once he did so. "We are stuck here just like they are…imprisoned thanks to this damn curse."

--

The halls within the large mansion like church belonging to the men in robes appeared to be void of anybody, though the eerie chanting made it seem as though a thousand worshippers were filling the many hallways. Outside of the church, the cobblestone walls of the large building parted and made an arching figure over a flowing fountain where crows cawed incessantly, overlooking the courtyard down below. The torches on the walls had been doused in the downpour, making it difficult to see anything within the area though the light of the moon helped a little. Slight growling heard within the maze like courtyard as two figures in cloaks conversed at the old marble fountain. One of them remained hunched over in front of the fountain, covered in the red robes while the other had on black, nearly blending in with the dark night.

"How did they do?" The man in red robes asked, his breathing labored as he remained there against the marble fountain.

"They are pathetic and hardly worth the cause," the man in black clothing answered with a scoff. "We might as well just get out of here while we still can. This guy is insane."

With a grunt, the man on the cobblestone ground shifted slightly. "You know I cannot leave…I am infected unlike you. I only have some time left until it fully takes me over."

"What keeps you here?" The haughty man standing erect asked.

Lowering his head in displeasure, his breath hitched in pain as his skin tore brutally from the plague that had him. Coughing into his hands, he spit out his contaminated blood in his palms, dotted in his dark crimson fluids. The man grabbed onto the rim of the fountain behind him to heft himself up steadily, turning to dip his blooded hands in the water to be rid of it. "You know why I stay…" Washing his face with the same water, he turned slowly towards the man in the dark attire. "I am searching desperately for him. I wish I could find where they hid him. Never in my life have I been without him, and I wish he were here…"

"Chances are Yuske and his friend will soon be here and they might help you and your weird sentiment for the demon they probably beheaded months ago," the other male responded coldly. Turning his back on the one in red robes at the fountain, he headed for the building once more. "Just make sure you don't accidentally end up on the other end of their weapon."

Watching his only company for the moment leave him be, the infected man turned his attention back out at the walls, which rose beyond the courtyard with an added sigh. "I will find him…I promise I will…"

--

The doors, which led from the barn, opened to reveal Leon and Ashley so they could continue to the area Hunnigan had specified. Using his flashlight to look through the stormy night, Leon shined the light over his shoulder at Yuske and Botan, who appeared shortly after Ashley. "Are you both alright?" He asked.

Yuske nudged his way past Leon with a grumble in his throat. "We're fine. Let's keep going already."

Leon flinched from the impact of Yuske's bony shoulder coming in contact with his as the half demon passed him by. Shrugging off the slight pain in his arm, he looked at Botan, who appeared distressed by Yuske's actions. "So, what is with him?" He asked.

Sighing, Botan twisted her mouth to the side slightly watching through her dampened bangs as Yuske made it to the curve in the road to stop and reload his gun. "You are killing the only friends he has ever had," Botan explained softly over the rain. "What else is there to say? I know you say there is no other way out, but there just has to be…"

"Botan, I am sorry, but there is no other way to my knowledge," Leon said with a shake of his head. "I don't know exactly what we are up against, but just like the previous virus I encountered, it might not have a cure. And if that is the case, trust me, they are better off dead."

"Don't tell me that," Botan encouraged as she waved Leon over at Yuske. "Go tell Yuske that."

Leon scratched an annoying itch on the side of his head with the hilt of his gun before making his way forward. Once he made it behind Yuske, he grabbed his two-way radio when he heard Hunnigan calling him.

"Leon, we have a problem," Hunnigan began on the radio.

"I am sure we'd rather not hear it," Leon objected with a shake of his head.

"I am afraid I will have to tell you anyways."

Yuske edged closer to the radio Leon held to listen through the downpour at what had happened. He leaned against a rock formation nearby to hear what Hunnigan had to say.

"We've lost contact with the chopper. Somebody must have shot it down though, we can't determine who," she explained with a shrug.

"Great," Leon sighed.

Yuske rolled his head back against the boulder behind him to release his sigh through his nostrils. "Fantastic—when I thought all else couldn't go wrong."

"We will prepare another helicopter for all of you," Hunnigan continued. "Meanwhile, I want you to head towards the extraction point."

"Alright, Hunnigan, we are on our way," Leon said before hanging up the line, pocketing his radio once more. "Looks like we should keep our prayers in check. It sounds to me like Saddler is trying to cut off our connections with Hunnigan and the enforcements she is trying to bring."

"I hope we make there in one piece," Ashley replied in a trembling tone.

"Don't worry, I am sure whatever moves Leon will shoot it," Yuske sourly said as he headed onward ahead of everyone.

Shaking his head at Yuske's remark, Leon waved for the girls to follow once more as he headed behind Yuske, watching his back regardless of the anger the young man felt towards him. Getting towards the bridge, Leon stopped in the middle with a raise of his hand. "Do you all hear that?"

Yuske stopped with the two females to listen to the sound of disgruntle villagers in the distance. Looking over his shoulder at the trail, which would lead them on their way, he widened his eyes in surprise at the thousands of torches he could see coming his way. "The villagers are coming!"

"**_LEON_**!" Ashley yelled, pointing to the beginning of the bridge from whence they came from to show more of the villagers coming towards them.

"We're trapped!" Botan exclaimed, placing her hands on Ashley's shoulders before hurrying her towards Yuske, out of Leon's aim so he could take down who he could.

"Not necessarily," Yuske responded, nodding towards a cabin not too far away, in the center of the area they were within. "Head for the cabin! Come on!" Grabbing onto Botan's wrist, he quickly rushed for the decrepit looking cabin without another thought, Leon following behind him with Ashley close in hand.

The villagers all headed for the cabin right behind the foursome. Their torches in hand, they were eager to get back the young females they had orders to recapture and take back into their possession.

Leon and Yuske both slammed the door shut together with a sigh of slight relief. Looking to one another, Yuske offered a shrug of uncertainty. "Well, what do we do now, Leon?"


	10. Chapter 10

**_Author's Notes_**: I have decided to up the progress of these chapters. Instead of posting just one, I will post two to get it moving a bit faster to completion. Keep in mind I will only do so with this story. P

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Yuske threw open the door to allow himself inside before waving the others in. The rain soaking everyone through to the bone, Botan and Ashley took care in trying to dry their clothes off at least by shaking the fabric a bit. When Leon made it finally to the doorway, Yuske grabbed onto the officer's arm to pull him all the way inside so he could finally shut the door upon the oncoming villagers.

Leon nearly stumbled in, catching his footing in time; he reloaded his gun with a serious frown. "Great, there are probably hundreds converging upon this one location," he grumbled, looking out the window.

"Guh, if I still had my spiritual powers, I could blow them all away with a single shot," Yuske boasted, his fist pounding against the wall to show his frustration.

"It is good to see you both again," a familiar tone remarked from behind the two young men.

The two startled, Leon and Yuske turned around to aim their weapons at Sera. Realizing who it was, the two settled and lowered their weapons. "So, we meet up again, eh?" Yuske remarked, opening his hand to accept the plank Sera had in his hands.

"Small world, isn't it?" Sera remarked as he flipped his gun in his hands. His eyes falling upon the two young women that the guys brought with them, he smirked with a brief nod of his head. "Picked up a couple of hitchhikers, did you?"

"This is Ashley Graham, the President's daughter, and this is Botan, the messenger girl for Koenma," Leon explained.

"You ask for God's help, and he sends a messenger girl," Sera joked as he looked at the apparition from the table in the center of the cabin.

Botan could only grumble with an annoyed look dwelling in her eyes. She pointed at the man she hardly knew to try and comeback at his remark only to have Yuske intervene from the door he was guarding.

"No, he sent me," Yuske corrected.

Leon looked out the window, drenched in the downpour. He could see the torches just barely outside in the rain coming closer. "Botan, Ashley, you two need to go upstairs and hide!" Leon ordered to the two girls.

"Come on, Ashley," Botan insisted, grabbing onto the young girl's wrist to head up the stairs so they could do so. The girls' feet beating against the wooden stairs, they made it to the upper level in hopes of staying out of the way.

Sera showed off his gunman skills once more by messing with his gun, his back soon against the wall at ready. "Okay, it's game time."

Yuske listened to the villagers outside, he tilting his head back to look up at the ceiling before he gazed at the other window on the other side. "They are going to surround us. I will fight them off on this side. Sera, you would be better off at the staircase."

"Apparently he is a war general too," Sera scoffed lightly as he remained at his post, which he took.

"I will take the staircase," Leon sighed, scratching the side of his head with the butt of his gun. Making it to the staircase, he sat upon the third step to be a safe distance from the annoyed, former Spirit Detective. He was aware that Yuske wasn't very found of him at the moment with all things considered, but Leon felt he just had to make Yuske understand if they were to make it out of the situation alive. "I know you're beyond angry at me, Yuske," Leon began, "seeing as you refuse to believe destroying your friends is the best option."

"Beyond angry isn't the term I would use," Yuske grumbled as he watched the villagers head for them.

"Yuske, I know how hard it must be, but trust me, they are better off dead," Leon reiterated. "Back when I was in the Raccoon City police force, there was a worse type of virus that hit the town. It reanimated dead bodies and made them into mindless, blood thirsty, slaves within their own body."

Yuske pretended as though he wasn't listening from where he was stationed. It was hard, however, for him to try and excuse the story Leon was trying to tell him.

"They would come in herds and just tear apart a non-infected within a matter of sections," Leon sighed at having to remember it. "People I would have worked beside, I had to shoot down." He paused for a moment with a subtle hum in thought. "So don't tell me I don't know what I am doing and that I have no heart to do what I do. Right now, we have to try and get out of here alive with those girls, or the whole world will suffer. I am sure your friends would rather we destroy them for the sake of others, than damn everyone else."

A bang upon the door shifted the duo's attention towards the only door in the cabin. Their guns loaded and ready, they both aimed them over where Sera was located.

"If you two are finished with your story time, I hate to announce this, but they are here!" Sere announced as he started shooting through the window once the glass shattered upon the force the villagers placed upon it.

One of the windows near Yuske was broken by one of the villagers, allowing that villager to grab onto his shoulder. Releasing a swear word at the sudden grab, he grabbed onto the wrist of the intruder to toss him over onto his back upon the wooden floor.

Leon watched the action from where he remained on the staircase. He didn't hesitate in shooting the monster within the head quickly, only to watch the head burst to release a whip like creature from the torso. "What the hell is that thing!"

"Use a flash grenade!" Sera demanded quickly as he continued to try and fight off the ones on his side. "Hurry!"

Yuske aimed his gun at the whip like creature, releasing several bullets within it. The plague wasn't phased as it sliced at Yuske's legs. He jumped back a bit in time, the whip like plague slicing his right pant leg. The fabric cut in no time at all as well as a bit of his skin, allowing his blood to bubble forth. "God dammit!" He swore, trying to fight off the other villagers trying to get in while watching the plague trying to continue to slice at him. "Somebody throw a damn flash grenade!"

Leon dug into his pocket for another flash grenade he managed to find during his hunt for Ashley when he was solo. When he released it, the grenade emitted a painful glow to those who were infected. The parasite exploding from its worst enemy, Leon covered his face with his arm to keep the creature's remains from getting on him. "Yuske, are you injured?" He asked over the commotion, taking out another gun he could use with one hand so that he could backup both Yuske and Sera.

"It's worse than the bear trap, but I will manage!" Yuske answered as he watched the villagers gradually start to overwhelm them in numbers. "There is no way in hell we can keep them all off!"

Leon hated to admit it but Yuske was right as he watched the numbers increase. He backed up the stairs to allow room to those fighting within the cabin. _This is impossible_, he thought. The sound of the windows upstairs breaking caught Leon's attention over the gunfire and groaning of the infected villagers. "Oh, no," he murmured to himself.

"They are breaking in upstairs," Sera announced as he hurried over to the staircase where Leon was. "We have to get up there now!"

"The girls are up there!" Yuske grumbled as he shot down another villager, who dared tried to attack him. Not wishing to waste another moment, the former detective ran up the stairs, followed by Leon and then Sera. Once he made it to the upper level of the cabin, he hurried over to the first window to push the ladder back to knock off the villager before running to the next one.

Leon and Sera stayed near the staircase to try and prevent the villagers from below from making it to the top. Leon continued to pull out a few flash grenades in his possession to toss down the stairs over Sera's head to blind them or kill those who were decapitated.

Botan and Ashley remained within the closet that was upstairs, huddled together through the commotion. Botan flinched and jumped every time she heard the guns go off and the blood splatter upon the walls. It made her stomach churn in dismay. "Don't worry," she whispered, "we will get through this."

Through the downpour and the onslaught, two shadows stood in the back to watch how it was all going. The hooded man stood next to Mendez wore a serious frown upon his face. "They are doing quite well," he mumbled in disappointment. "This is what happens when Saddler allows so many against him to roam free." He turned to the village chief with a deep growl in the depths of his throat. "If they get a hold of they key you have, they will be one step closer to Saddler. If you do not hold them off, it will be your life, so keep that in mind."

The chief merely nodded in agreement; unfazed by the words he was spared. He watched as the hooded being left him to handle the problem with the villagers, who were under his main control. The sight of the others being slaughtered didn't deter him, but he knew he had to keep some alive if they were to help him keep the group from reaching the castle. He released a loud call to those surrounding the cabin to call them away from the scene before leaving it himself.

The villagers soon stopped in their attempts to take down the three men, who were standing in their way. They looked about the cabin walls at the sound that rang within their ears. Obediently, the villagers retreated from the cabin as quickly as they came, leaving the three gunmen confused.

Leon ran over to the nearest window to watch through the heavy rainfall as the villagers dispersed. "They are leaving," he announced, reloading his gun for the tenth time.

Yuske headed down the stairs quickly to watch as the ones on the lower floor left as well. "Well that is odd. What called them off?" He wondered with a cock of his brow.

"Let's not question our good fortune," Sera insisted as he followed after Yuske with Leon behind him.

Botan opened the door of the wooden closet to allow herself out into the aftermath. The smell of the contaminated blood overwhelmed her senses. "Oh good gracious, that is disgusting," she hissed in dismay as she helped Ashley out after her.

"Come on, Botan," Ashley whispered as she stepped over the many bodies on the floorboards. "The guys must be downstairs, and I don't want to be up here alone."

Botan didn't hesitate in following down the steps with Ashley taking the lead. The bewildered men in sight, Botan tilted her head in confusion. "What is going on? Are they gone?"

"Fortunately," Yuske answered, gazing over at the two young girls.

"So what do we do now?" Sera asked, edging closer to the broken door in caution.

"The bridge we crossed to get here is out," Leon explained with a shrug and an added sigh. "So, I guess we have no choice but to keep moving."

Sera seemed to stem off into his own thoughts during the conversation. He turned to the others with a brief wave. "You guys go ahead—I forgot something." With that said, Sera quickly headed out of the cabin.

"Luis," Leon mumbled under his breath. Confused at Sera's actions, he merely shook his head. "I guess we best head onward. Apparently we are causing quite a stir if they sent so many villagers after us." He took the lead as he headed on outside of the cabin to be free of the blooded area.

Yuske followed behind the officer with the girls close behind him. The storm refusing to lighten up, the soaked detective made it to the device, which kept two doors closed. "Now what?" He asked over the storm.

"Apparently we have to open one of the two gates," Leon answered.

"So choose already!" Ashley demanded. "The rain is freezing!"

Yuske and Leon both looked at one another with a shrug. "Right path?" They both asked in unison. "The right path!" They agreed as the two opened the right path together. The wheel turning at the force of the two men, the right passageway opened up under the lighting that flashed across the sky.

"It's open, so let's go," Botan insisted from where she was shivering.

Yuske grabbed onto Botan's wrist to keep her close by as Leon did the same for Ashley. "Come on; let's get out of here before more come in to welcome us."

"Somehow I doubt there will be anything easier down this corridor," Leon pointed.

"Thanks for the buzz kill," Yuske grumbled as he headed down the path set before them.

"Ashley, Botan," Leon began as he looked at the two girls, "stay behind us and be aware. I have a bad feeling about this area…"

Yuske merely rolled his eyes at Leon though was cautious regardless as he headed down the rocky path. The mountains towered over them on both sides. It made chances of climbing to escape nearly impossible considering how steep they both were. Cabins littered the right side and were empty but held a few boxes. He spied the door, chained, at the end of the passageway.

"There is the end!" Yuske exclaimed quietly as he dashed towards the door to examine the chains. He pulled upon the silver chains with all his might only to be reminded of what he lost. "Dammit, it is locked."

"Stand back," Leon advised as he readied his gun.

"Leon, Yuske, look!" Ashley shouted, pointing behind them.

Yuske and Leon both turned around at Ashley's urgent request to see a giant beast, which towered over them, heading right in their direction. "Holy hell, that thing is huge!" Yuske exclaimed with his gun aimed at the beast.

"It's an El Gigante," Leon hissed through his teeth. "Yuske, shoot the boulder up there on the ledge! I will take care of this door!"

Yuske ran quickly into the fray to aim up at the weak ledge that was holding onto a boulder. It took a few bullets to finally give way to the stone held high above the passageway they were within. He watched as the beast roared in dismay at the boulder blocking his path. Knowing it wouldn't hold him for long, Yuske turned on his heels to try and head back to the others only to flinch in pain from the plague that attacked him earlier at the cabin.

"Hurry up, Leon!" Botan advised once she witnessed Yuske's pain.

Leon aimed his gun at the chains across the door to blast it open before kicking the door open into the next part of the area. "Come on! Botan, go on ahead with Ashley," he ordered before pushing her forward gently. "I will take care of Yuske."

The girls hurried onwards with Leon running forwards with his gun firing rapidly at the El Gigante, which threatened to stomp on Yuske. The beast wailing in agony from the bullets that pierced his skin, it didn't stop him from continuing forward. The American officer grabbing onto Yuske's arm, he helped the wounded detective past the door he managed to knock down.

"I can handle myself!" Yuske grumbled as Leon continued to be his crutch regardless.

"Yeah, I could tell," Leon answered as he tossed his 'sidekick' over his shoulder. "Keep firing at him!"

Yuske aimed back at the oncoming beast, firing rapidly upon it, watching it kneel in agony to show the plague rip right through its back. "Hurry, he is down!"

Botan and Ashley made it to the last door only to find it locked and in need of a key to open it. "We need a key!" Botan panicked as she realized that these chains had a larger lock on them. "Leon, Yuske, we need a key!" She yelled back at the men.

Leon put Yuske back down on his feet before directing him towards where the girls were. "Go and protect the girls! I will go find that key!"

"You better watch it out there," Yuske said quickly as he limped towards the others. "I am not going to waste my time scraping you off of that giganto thing's foot!" He covered the girls as he knelt down on one knee.

The American officer ran towards the small cabins lined on the left of him eagerly. The giant beast getting up from the pain he was once in started to stomp forwards once more, crushing some of the cabins as he did so. Running into one of the cabins nearby, Leon threw about some of the items inside to hunt for a key. "Key—where is the key!" When he was unable to find the key in the cabin he ran into, Leon ran out of that one and into the next only to see that the giant monster was coming closer towards him.

"Leon!" Ashley shrieked from where she was waiting.

"Yuske, you have to help him!" Botan exclaimed, shaking his shoulders.

Yuske growled at the thought, but knew she was right. If Leon was crushed by the beast, he would have to handle two females on his own and all the traps that would be thrown at him. "God dammit," he swore irritably as he ran forward with a limp in his step thanks to the injury he obtained. Aiming the gun of his at the El Gigante, Yuske fired several times to try and make the beast slow in movement so that he wouldn't stomp on Leon, who was in the cabin the monster was about to destroy. "Leon, get your ass out here!"

"I have to find the key, or we are doomed either way!" Leon smart mouthed back. Throwing the items in the cabin he was within everywhere, he finally found the key that had to open the chains on the door. "I found it!" He shouted before rolling out of the cabin just in time as the El Gigante's foot came crashing down on the small building.

"**HURRY**!" Yuske yelled as he ran out of ammunition.

Leon rushed towards Yuske, grabbing him by the shirt collar to drag him quickly towards the entrance. "Botan, catch!" He shouted, throwing the key to the sky blue haired, messenger girl.

Botan grabbed the key, which was thrown at her, and quickly worked on inserting it properly into the lock. "Come on, come on," she whimpered in fear at the monster coming closer.

With the El Gigante several inches away, Botan finally managed to open the door and run through with Ashley to allow way for Leon, who was dragging Yuske. The beast was unable to follow them, leaving the group safe on the other side of the mountains. Yuske collapsed with a sigh of relief there upon the ground, where Leon had dragged him. Leon released the former detective's shirt collar to catch his breath with his hands upon his lower thighs.

"Thank God," Leon mumbled with a wipe of his brow. "Those things are terribly difficult to bring down."

"You're telling me," Yuske grumbled, looking at his gun with a sigh as he forced himself to stand with Botan's help. "I am out of ammunition at trying to save your behind."

"Then what are you waiting for?" A familiar voice asked from just further down the road. The black coat wavering in the thunderstorm and shielding the masked merchant from the relentless rain could be seen just beyond the curve of the road. "If you are looking for more guns and ammunition, I have just what you be needing." The merchant watched as Yuske limped forward with Botan's help. "Hey, I have just what you will need there to fix that leg."

"Joy," Yuske grumbled as he ambled forward.

From afar, on top of the towering mountains, the hooded man, who watched the previous fight with the chief, stood in the shadows once more to watch the events down below. "This is becoming impossible," he muttered under the wind and rain. Turning on his heels, he ran past the gondola at a blinding speed down to the torture shed. "Where is that beast?"

When he was unable to find who he was looking for, he invited himself into the torture shack. The items used for torturing betrayers or weaklings hung from the ceiling and some piled upon the floor, he gazed about the shed cautiously with his piercing red eyes, which showed his infection. His heightened senses catching the person he was hunting for out of the corner of his eye, he jolted slightly in awareness. "It's about damn time. What the hell do you think you're doing down here?" He asked in hissing anger.

The chief stepped forward out of the darkness of the shed, towering over the hooded occultist. "They will be heading this way. I know by now that the villagers are not strong enough to hold the two off. But trust me, they cannot make it into the castle without the key I hold," Mendez announced sternly.

"If they make it into the church, their heads will roll!" The occult member growled. "I don't care what Saddler thinks, they have gotten much too far."

"It would not be wise to underestimate Lord Saddler," the chief remarked with a simple nod as he made his way to the other side of the shed. "If you do so, you will regret it."

Scoffing at the idea, the member left quickly through the window, to get back out into the thunderstorm. "If things were to go my way, they would be dead a long time ago," he said to himself. Snorting irritably like an angered stallion, he headed off back towards the entrance of the church knowing it would be there he would have to wait for his old pal, Yuske.


	11. Chapter 11

**_Author's Notes_**: Sorry for not posting anything lately in general. I got hooked on the new Zelda game, Twilight Princess, and I have been a zombie woman for a couple of nights now working on it like nuts. It's my new, cheep, crack—aside from the brownies my dad promised to make soon.

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The storm continued throughout the night. It made it difficult for Yuske to aim his gun he had upgraded to fire at oncoming villagers as they made it towards the giant wall, which kept the mansion like church out of reach. Leon examined the exterior of the wall before running up towards the front gates where Yuske pound his fist upon the intricate designs carved within the wood.

"We need a key," Leon announced over the pouring rain, pulling his dampened hair out of his face. "I am sure it has to be somewhere around here."

"I bet you anything that village chief has it," Yuske said with a slight nod towards the path to their left. "They may have taken away my powers and strength, but they haven't taken away my ability to sense energies." Stopping at the bottom of the slope, Yuske pointed towards the gorge where the gondolas were. "There—that way—I can tell he is waiting for us over there."

"Are you sure?" Leon asked as he hurried up close to Yuske's side.

"Trust us on this one, Leon," Botan said with a nod to him in the thunderstorm. "We can sense his spirit from over here. He has quite the power, but he is not as powerful as an S class demon. You both should be safe on taking him on."

"If I can take on two and barely survive, this should prove interesting," Leon announced as he hurried onward with Yuske and the others.

The hooded occultist in red robes, which showed his higher status and power, stood upon one of the balconies, which jetted from the church just behind the giant gate. He turned around on his heels to look at the other who had the same garb, only drenched in his own blood as well as others. "Good luck to the both of you," the man at the balcony chuckled eerily as he looked to the other slumped against the wall. "When you come into these walls, you will be one step closer to your demise."

"I cannot believe you are considering such a thing," the other said somberly as he flinched in pain. "You would never consider such a thing to Yuske before this plague infected your mind…"

"It isn't a plague, really, if you let it take you over," the other grinned under his hood. "I don't know why you don't just surrender, and let it take you as it has the others."

The injured, hooded occultist hefted himself up steadily with a wheeze in pain as he did so. "You know why I do so, and if you would just tell me what Saddler did with him, then I would give in to your plague."

"You know it is not in my line of duty to reveal such information," the other occultist member said with an added scoff. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have some guests I will have to welcome very soon."

The injured occultist watched as the other left. Walking over towards the balcony himself, he sighed through his nostrils with a slight wheeze. "You have to make it through his traps, Yuske…you cannot falter at any time…"

--

Yuske and Leon headed through the dirt road set before them quickly to find it opening up to the torture shed. Yuske pointed at the shed silently with a nod to the American officer. "He's in there," he whispered.

Leon pointed off to the side of the shed. "Ashley, Botan, you two hide over there. Yuske and I will handle this."

The two girls nodded at Leon's orders before heading off to the side quickly.

"Are you ready, Yuske?" Leon asked once he reloaded his gun. "Last time we encountered this guy, we could hardly take him down."

"That's because he surprised us," Yuske corrected as he got out his TMP gun. "That won't happen again." He walked on ahead to open the door silently in hopes of making a jump on the chief he could sense within the shed.

Leon followed behind Yuske, eyeing the decor with a hum in thought. "These people are nuts," he muttered, trying to avoid hitting some of the hanging knives.

"You just now figured this out?" Yuske scoffed before holding his hand up to stop Leon from going any further. "Shush," he suddenly hissed as he tried to hone in on Mendez's energy. Yuske turned around quickly on his heels to aim his gun right past Leon, who dodged out of the way of the TMP's firing range.

Mendez loomed right over Leon only to get shot multiple times by Yuske's gun. The bullets, however, did little harm to him. His fists clutched tightly near his chest, the village chief, with all his might, extended his spinal column so he could loom over the two that dared stand in his way.

"Oh, shit," Yuske swore as he started firing a bit more at the towering, deformed creature. The bullets tearing through Mendez's flesh and bones appeared to faze the chief very little. It made the former detective back up into the corner with his bullets running low. "Leon—please make yourself useful and help me!"

Leon pulled out his shotgun and aimed at the revealed spinal column. "Duck, Yuske!" He ordered before firing his shotgun several times at the mutated village chief.

Mendez turned around at Leon, coming towards him with his arms swaying about, threatening to grab and slice at any of the boys. Leon and Yuske continued to fire at his body relentlessly, until the chief's spinal column finally severed and he was divided into one. The upper half of Mendez reached up towards the rafters of the shaft as the other remained on the wooden floor.

Running over to Yuske, Leon watched as chief Mendez appeared to call to them from where he was swinging like a monkey on the rafters. "We have to try and bring this bastard down. He's much stronger than the others."

Yuske sighed through his nostrils as he looked off to the side at some of the oil cans nearby. "I'll tell you what—if you can get up there and shoot him down here, I think I can end this."

"Deal," Leon said as he headed for the ladder not too far off to get to the top where the chief was hanging on the rafters.

Running over to some of the oil drums nearby, Yuske pulled them over to allow the dark liquid to seep out onto the floor. It seeping through the cracks of the floorboards all about the lining of the shed, he aimed his gun and fired his gun at the oil to ignite it.

The fire lighting the dark shed, it caught the attention of the young girls waiting outside. Ashley panicked as she saw the flames engulf the building. "Yuske—Leon!" She shrieked, threatening to run into the flaming shack blindly.

"No, don't!" Botan insisted as she grabbed onto Ashley's wrists to pull her gently back away from the burning fire. "If you go in there, you will burn alive, and not to mention cause problems if the chief grabs you! Besides, I can sense Yuske's energy still—they are both just fine, dear. Do not worry about them."

Aiming from the ledge, Leon continued to fire at the upper part of the chief, dodging his attempts to grab him. He wasn't sure what Yuske's plan on setting most of the place on fire was, but Leon had not reason to doubt him now. Starting to get fed up at how much ammunition he was wasting on the village chief, Leon aimed at Mendez's wrists to fire at them both to make the man collapse back towards the ground where Yuske was.

"Adios, Mendez," Yuske grinned as he aimed his gun right next to the oil drum that was right next to the chief.

The container exploding from the bullet piercing it, the fires engulfed the monster. Screaming in agony from the fires biting at his contaminated flesh, he neglected to see Leon aiming his last shot at his neck. The shotgun going off once more, the bullet tore through Mendez's neck, severing his head from his spine. The battle obviously over, the false eye of the man rolled upon the floor over towards Yuske's boot.

Yuske scrunched his nose at the sight of the eye as he put away his gun. "Gross…"

Leon jumped down from where he was stationed, putting away his shotgun. "That eye—it looks like the key we need to enter into the church just beyond the wall we encountered earlier." He leaned down to pick up the false eye. The fires around them eating away at the wood, he quickly waved over towards the boards, which were parted slightly and allowing a way for them to escape. "Come on, before this entire place collapses!"

Yuske didn't have to be told twice as he quickly followed behind Leon as the two of them escaped the burning torture shed.

"Leon—are you okay?" Ashley asked as she hurried over towards the two.

"Just dandy," Yuske answered as he looked at the bullets left for his TMP. "We need to reload before heading through that gate. I am on low thanks to that bastard."

"I can tell you defeated him," Botan said with a relieved sigh. "His energy has dissipated."

Leon hurried onward with the others right behind him. As the team ran off through the storm, a dark creature standing in the downpour in a dark cloak watched them with his piercing, narrow eyes. When it witnessed the team heading for the church, it quickly headed off in that direction as well at a blinding speed.

Once they reached the locked wall, Leon held up the eye, which was the missing key, to open the door without a problem. Opening the large doors, they made their way down the dirt path cautiously. The sight of torches burning through the storm prompted Yuske to point further up the road.

"More villagers waiting for us," Yuske mumbled.

"Wait," Leon insisted as he heard a familiar sound grace his ears. "What is that sound…?"

Yuske listened with Leon as he too recognized the sound. "It sounds like…" Two blinding headlights nearly took the two by surprise as they saw a huge vehicle making its way down the road they were on—it plowing down the villagers heartlessly in its path. "…a truck!"

"Shoot it!" Leon shouted over the roaring engine as he aimed his handgun at the front of the truck.

The truck continued down the path until enough bullets pierced through it to make its engine explode, the truck soon collapsing on the road. When the villagers had way to attack, they did so, forcing Leon and Yuske to run right through with their guns at ready.

The villagers managed to scratch Leon on his way up with a pitchfork they had in hand, but that didn't stop the persistent officer from heading towards the draw bridge he could just see up ahead. "Ashley, Botan—you both head onwards and work on raising the drawbridge! Yuske and I will watch your backs!"

Botan grabbed back onto Ashley's hand to pull her quickly up the hill so that they could do as they were asked. "You take that side," Botan said as she grabbed onto one crank as Ashley took the other.

The drawbridge steadily rising as Leon and Yuske headed towards it quickly, Leon managed to heft himself up on the rising bridge before reaching down for Yuske. "Yuske, grab on!"

Without hesitation, Yuske jumped up to grab Leon's open hand regardless of how slippery it was with blood that had splattered upon it. "You better not let me go!" Yuske nearly threatened as he got back out his TMP he reloaded to keep the other villagers coming at them at bay.

Pulling with all his might, Leon managed to pull Yuske up onto the raising bridge so that they could slide down to where the two girls were waiting. "Well, well, looks like we made it. I wonder if that Saddler lives here."

"If he is, let's say hello," Yuske scoffed as he headed towards the staircase he could see.

"Yuske, wait!" Botan insisted with her hands cupped before her chest. "I can understand your anger in what is going on, but we cannot take him on when our friends are blindly protecting him."

Sighing irritably, Yuske looked at Botan with a slight shrug. "So what do you suggest we do, Botan? Do you want me to step aside to let Leon destroy them all?"

"Yuske, Leon has been through this kind of hell before you," Botan whispered between the two of them. "The least you can do is hear him out on what he has to say."

"Come on," Leon said with a wave over towards the staircase. "We have to get going. Who knows, with your friends as powerful as they are, maybe some survived?"

Yuske hated to admit it to himself in silence, but he doubted it. Walking up the stone staircase, he exited through the arched doorway with the others to find their way out into the main entrance, which was being guarded by several infected men wearing black robes that covered their entire body, including their face. They mumbled an eerie chant that appeared to be resonating from everywhere. "Who the hell are these jokers?" Yuske whispered to those nearby.

"More contaminated monsters, that is all I know," Leon answered as he readied his rifle. Aiming just right at the two occultists on the balcony above them, he managed to snipe them both down without any effort. "Now come on, let's get moving so we can take down Saddler and get out of here."

Walking up the winding staircase up ahead, they made it to the next level. The towers around them housing catapults with occult members on standby, Leon and Yuske both aimed their guns in preparation to take down the men. But before they could, a voice beckoned to them from the stairs hidden behind the corner of a cobblestone wall.

"I would say I am surprised to see you all, but I wouldn't want to lie," one of the occult members said from the darkness, which shrouded him in his red robes he wore.

Yuske and Leon both aimed their weapons at the man though Yuske appeared a bit lenient to do so. "That voice…" he murmured to himself. "That energy signature…" His jaw nearly dropping, Yuske stood upright with his eyes a bit wide. "No…Kurama?"

Stepping forward to show his deep, crimson eyes, his sharp, whitened fangs were revealed in the moonlight as he grinned. "It is good to see you too, Yuske." His pallid hands wrapped in black and red veins grabbing onto his hood, he threw it over his red hair to reveal his face. The fox demon thief smirked still as his wild red hair blew about in the wind. "I have watched your progress, and I have to say, I am impressed, Yuske. Without your spirit energy and with your crippling love for your friends, I would have expected you to have died at the beginning with Shishiwakamaru."

"How could you do this, Kurama!" Yuske demanded to know with a furious growl. "How could you work for that bastard who did this to you!"

"Did what?" Kurama asked as he headed up the stairs close to him to make it to the upper level. "The Las Plagus that has been implanted in me and hatched made me get back in touch with Yoko Kurama. I can summon him whenever I feel the need to, and his power as increased ten-fold with the help of that egg." Standing above the others, he outstretched his arms with a scoff. "So why would I not work for Saddler? He has given us all the power we have craved."

"Where are the others, Kurama!" Botan demanded to know from behind Yuske.

"Your friends are within these walls," Kurama answered as he pointed to the door behind him. "If you wish to find them, then I wish you well. These new men you will encounter will prove to be your most challenging yet."

Without a word spared, Leon readied his rifle at the cocky demon.

Hearing the click, Yuske looked over at Leon in dismay. "Leon, don't!" He shouted, grabbing onto the gun to make it misfire once the trigger was pulled.

The bullet rebound off of the cobblestone, making Kurama merely 'hmm' at the sound, not flinching in the least. "It appears my welcome is worn out. Enjoy your stay, for it will not be for long." Turning on his heels quickly, he ran towards the double doors up ahead leaving the other members below him to lead in the coming attack.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Yuske!" Leon demanded to know as he pushed the former detective away from him. "I could have shot him down!"

Grabbing onto Leon's shirt collar, he pulled the man close to his face. "Let's get one thing straight here; we are **_NOT_** going to kill my friends anymore! I have lost too many already thanks to you!"

"Guys, look out!" Botan shouted as she pointed to the catapults around them being loaded with flaming projectiles.

Seeing the balls of fire heading straight towards them, Leon pushed Yuske out of the way before waving for the girls to go onward. "Run! Now!" He demanded, hauling Yuske out of the firing range regardless of the Japanese man's feelings for him.

Kurama listened to the sounds emitting from outside with a smirk once more, almost seeming to sway like he was enjoying a melody playing in his ears. Chuckling in his throat, he brought the back of his hand to his mouth as if to conceal his laughter. "Please do not disappoint me now, Yuske. I want to be the one to end your life," he murmured to himself, there in the great, dark main hall.


End file.
